Spiced Lamb Hand Pies Recipes

SPICED LAMB HAND PIES

Steps:

• Bring vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add currants; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over mediumhigh. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomato paste, cumin, ginger, cardamom, and turmeric and cook until fragrant and sticky, about 1 minute. Add lamb and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Stir in peas; cook until bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain reserved currants and add to lamb along with parsley. Let cool.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Working with one at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 12" squares. Cut each into 4 squares; transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Spoon filling onto one side of squares, leaving 1/2" border. Brush edges with egg and fold dough over filling. Press to seal; crimp with a fork. Cut a few vents in tops; brush with egg.
• Bake until pies are golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Do ahead: Filling can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

SPICED LAMB PIE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Toss the lamb in the flour with some seasoning, then brown it in the dish. Do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the dish (which will cause the meat to steam instead of fry). Take your time to build up a deep brown colour, which will add lots of meaty flavour to the stew. Set the meat aside on a plate as you go.
• Add the remaining oil to the dish along with the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 mins until softened, then stir in the spices, tomatoes, lemon zest and juice, honey and molasses. Fill the tomato can halfway with water, swill around and add this too. Season well, bring to a simmer and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and cook for 2 hrs 30 mins-3 hrs or until the meat is tender. Leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Transfer the meat to a pie dish that's about 25cm wide, or leave it in the casserole if it's wide enough to fit the topping. Unwrap the filo and brush a sheet with butter, scrunch up and place on top of the pie. Continue with the remaining sheets until the tagine is covered. Drizzle any remaining butter over the top and scatter over the almonds, then bake for 45 mins or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds just before serving.

SPICED LAMB PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F and butter a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
• In a large non-stick skillet cook lamb or beef in 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and drain meat in sieve set over a large bowl, reserving any juices. Add water and bread to juices and let stand 10 minutes. Chop onions and in a skillet cook in butter and remaining tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring until softened.
• In another large bowl combine meat, onion, and all remaining ingredients except bread mixture, lime leaves, eggs, and milk. Squeeze liquid from bread and break into small pieces, dropping into meat mixture. Toss together bread and meat and spread evenly in baking dish. Roll lime leaves into spikes and insert, evenly spaced, in several places into mixture. (Bobotie may be made up to this point one day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring bobotie to room temperature before proceeding.)
• Bake bobotie in middle of oven 30 minutes. In a small bowl whisk together eggs and milk until just combined and pour over bobotie. Bake bobotie until custard is set, about 5 minutes more.
• Cut bobotie into squares or wedges and serve with rice chutney.
• Available at Southeast Asian markets and by mail order from Adriana's Caravan, (800) 316-0820, or Uwajimaya, (800) 889-1928.

GREEK LAMB PIE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400°F.
• Lightly grease a 8 1/2 in springform pan.
• Fry the mince and onion in a dry nonstick pan until golden.
• Add the garlic, tomatoes, mint, nutmeg and seasoning.
• Bring to the boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Wash the spinach and remove any tough stalks, then cook the leaves in only the water clinging to them for about 2 minutes.
• Drain the leaves well and then mix through the meat mixture.
• I sometimes add 1/4 lb of crumbled feta at this stage.
• Lightly brush each sheet of phyllo pastry with oil and lay in overlapping layers in the tin, leaving enough over hanging to wrap over the top.
• Spoon the meat and spinach mix in then wrap the pastry over to enclose.
• Scrunch up any remaining pastry into balls, and place over the top of the pie.
• Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and then bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden.
• I like to let this cool a little, and serve it with a green salad.