Saturday is Pi Day, and I figure we need at least one dinner pie to precede the parade of dessert pies currently on hand. (It’s the whole parental responsibility thing. I do not judge adults who eat dessert pie for breakfast, trust me!)

Since the Free-Ride household is vegetarian, the pie Wilkins posted won’t quite work. In lieu of an actual meat pie, we offer the vegetarian shepherd’s pie.

“Meat” layer that isn’t really:

Heat a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 small onion, finely chopped, and saute until translucent. Add 12 ounces Yves Meatless Ground (or other vegetarian ground beef) and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Puree 4 medium tomatoes (fresh or canned) and add to skillet, along with 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons rolled oats, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 4 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce. Stir and simmer until the mixture thickens up. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Smashed potato layer:

Scrub and trim about 1.5 pounds of potatoes. Cut the potatoes into cubes (but leave the skin on them). Boil until easily pierced with a fork (about 10 minutes).

In a large bowl, mash the cooked potato chunks with about 3 ounces of cream cheese plus enough of the boiling water (or milk, or butter milk) to help the potatoes hang together rather than existing as distinct potato-y chunks. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble:

Spread the “meat” that really isn’t in the bottom of a Pyrex pie pan.

Spread about 1/2 pound of peas (frozen are fine; no need to thaw) evenly over the “meat” layer that really isn’t.

Pile the smashed potatoes on top of the pies. With a rubber scraper, carefully spread the potatoes outward from the center to reach the edges of the pie pan.

Bake at 350 ^oF until the potatoes get a little brown, about 25-35 minutes.

Serve to appreciative children.