Serves 4
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 celery sticks, thickly sliced
- 400g can plum tomatoes
- 1 tbsp harissa
- 2 large courgettes, halved lengthways and thickly sliced
- 400g can chickpeas, drained
- 1 vegetable stock cube
FOR THE DUMPLINGS
- 25g butter, diced
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 75g extra mature cheddar, finely grated
- 100ml milk
1. Heat the oil in a large wide-topped casserole dish with a lid, then fry the onion and celery for 5 mins until softening and starting to colour. Tip in the tomatoes and a can of water, then stir in the harissa, courgettes and chickpeas, and crumble in the stock cube. Cover and simmer for 18 mins until the veg is almost tender. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan.
2. Meanwhile, rub the butter into the flour and baking powder with a good pinch of salt, then mix in the cheese with a round-bladed knife. Two mins before the stew is ready, pour the milk into the dumpling mix and stir with the knife to make a dough. Turn out onto your work surface (no need to flour it), lightly shape into a sausage and cut into 8 equal pieces.
3. Put the dumplings on top of the stew and bake in the oven for 15-20 mins until golden and cooked through.