1. Rinse the dried mushrooms well to get rid of any grit and place them in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water.
2. Heat up the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the diced onion and sauté on a low heat for a few minutes, until the onions are almost translucent, but not coloured.
3. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Finally add the diced celery, carrot and chestnut mushrooms. Sauté, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes or so.
5. Meanwhile, chop the rehydrated dry mushrooms (do not throw the liquid away) very finely.
6. Add the diced dry mushrooms to the pan, together with the chopped rosemary leaves, whole thyme sprigs, bay leaves, smoked paprika, nutmeg, chilli (if using) and 1 tsp of salt. Stir everything around for a minute or so.
7. Add the mushroom stock, being careful not to tip over the grit that sometimes gathers at the bottom of the dish.
8. After the mixture comes to a gentle simmer, add the wine and allow it to bubble gently for a few minutes so that the harsh taste of alcohol cooks out, for about 10 minutes.
9. Grind your chickpeas in a food processor until their texture resembles mince. Be careful not to overprocess.
10. Add both tomato cans and about 1 cup (240 ml) of water (I like to rinse my cans with it first).
11. If you used plum tomatoes, like I did, break them up with a spoon first. Put the lid on and allow the sauce to bubble on a low-medium heat until the tomatoes have broken down (about 30 minutes). If using raw, soaked chickpeas, throw them in now and allow them to cook in the sauce, topping up with extra water if the pan is starting to look dry. If using cooked chickpeas add them in at the very end.
12. Once the tomatoes have broken down, take the lid off and start reducing the sauce on a low-medium heat. If the pan is starting to look a bit too dry, add another cup of water and cook until you achieve the desired consistency. Remember to give the sauce a good stir from time to time to ensure that the middle of the pan does not burn. Leave the ‘mince’ on a wetter side as it will lose some further moisture in the oven.
13. Season with more salt if needed, date syrup or sugar (if needed) and black pepper.

POTATO LAYER

1. Cook your potatoes in plenty of water until tender.
2. Mash hot potatoes with a potato ricer (recommended) or masher until smooth.
3. Work fat (olive oil or vegan butter), almond milk and seasoning into the potatoes until smooth and fluffy. Adjust the consistency to your liking by adding less or more almond milk, but remember that the potatoes will dry out while baking so make sure your mash is moist.

ASSEMBLY

1. Preheat the oven to 225° C / 435° F.
2. Spread mince layer at the bottom of a baking dish and dot with the mashed potato mixture. Spread the potato mixture evenly, brush the top with an extra tablespoon of olive oil and then using the back of a fork, make grooves all over the potato layer in whatever pattern you see fit (no rules here).
3. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top gets a little crispy and golden-brown. For neater-looking slices allow the bake to cool a little before cutting.