Feta and Courgette Dumplings with Greek-Style Stew

As a northerner, I love a good dumpling! Usually the kind made with suet and cooked with beef or lamb stew beneath them but this vegetarian version takes its inspiration from Greece and it's an absolute winner.

The dumplings themselves have all the comfort you'd expect but they're light and burst with the salty flavour of feta. The stew also manages to be hearty but fresh with tomatoes, peppers and sugar snap peas boosted with garlic and smoked paprika. If you don't fancy paprika, you could use ground cinnamon or a touch of cayenne instead.

Feta and Courgette Dumplings with Greek-Style Stew
Serves 4

4 tbsp oil (olive or rapeseed)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tbsp smoked paprika

2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped

400g tin cannellini beans (or butterbeans or black eyed beans)

400g tin tomatoes

150g sugar snap peas, roughly chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dumplings:

110g self-raising flour (or 100g plain flour, 10g baking powder)

250g courgette, grated

140g feta, crumbled

Heat the oil in a casserole pot and fry the onion with a big pinch of salt for about 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute then add the paprika. Stir to combine then add the chopped peppers and cook for 5 minutes more.

Tip in the beans and tomatoes then rinse the tomato tin with 150ml water and stir into the pan. Season well with salt and pepper, add the sugar snap peas and then bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer whilst you make the dumplings.

Mix the flour, courgette and some seasoning together in a large bowl. Add a few tablespoons of water to bring the mixture together so the courgette releases its own juice. Using a tablespoon, scoop balls of the mixture on top of the stew (you should get around 12).

Cover with a lid or a sheet of foil and cook for 15 minutes until the dumplings have risen and are cooked through. Divide between bowls and enjoy.