Individual Lamb Pies Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine the garlic, bay leaf, carrot, celery, onion and oil in a medium skillet and cook, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Push the vegetables to the perimeter of the pan and add the lamb. Increase the heat to high and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over. Sprinkle with the mustard, 1 teaspoon of the salt and some pepper. Stir until fragrant, 1 minute, then add the tomato paste, fennel seeds and tomato puree and stir again. Cook for 1 minute more. Turn off the heat and stir in the mint and sage. Remove the bay leaf.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover by 2 inches with salted water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook until a knife releases easily from the potatoes when pierced in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the potatoes. In the same pot, combine the milk, butter, and 1/2 cup of the cooking water and stir together over high heat. Bring to a boil. Mash the potatoes with a masher, then slowly drizzle the hot liquid over the potatoes and stir until light and fluffy. Taste and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon the lamb mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch deep-dish pie plate, spreading it evenly over the bottom. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top, covering completely. Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to create a swirled pattern in the potatoes. Bake until the topping turns golden in spots, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and brown the lamb shanks well all over (you may need to do this in batches). Transfer the lamb to a plate. Reduce the heat, tip the onions into the dish and gently soften, adding a splash more oil if you need to. Stir in the rosemary for the final 1 min, then add the thyme and wine. Bring to a fierce simmer, scraping all the lamb bits off the bottom of the dish as you go - these will add lots of flavour. When the wine has boiled for 1 min, add the stock, return the shanks and any juices, and gently bring to a simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat a little and cook until the meat is very tender and falling from the bone - this can take 2-3 hrs. Leave until cool enough to handle. Can be done 24 hrs ahead, covered and chilled, or frozen for up to a month.
• Lift the shanks out of the stock (at this stage you can spoon off any fat that has separated to the surface). Gently pull the meat off the bones in nice big chunks, discarding any fatty bits, and put in a pie dish - about 30 x 20cm and 5cm deep will be big enough.
• Put the stock back on the heat and boil fiercely until reduced by just under half. Meanwhile, in a big frying pan, melt the butter, then stir in the flour to a paste and cook for 1-2 mins. Gradually whisk in ladlefuls of the reduced stock until you have a smooth sauce. Bubble for a few mins to thicken up nicely (the sauce will thin a little when cooked in the pie). Taste for seasoning, then tip over the lamb.
• To make the pastry, put the flour, butter, suet and 1 tsp salt in a food processor, and whizz together until no lumps of fat remain. With the motor running, gradually pour in 150ml water to bring the pastry together - you may need 1 tsp more water. Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and gently bring together to a smooth dough, then roll out until just over 0.5cm thick.
• Add the frozen peas, spring onions, parsley and mint to the lamb, and gently mix to combine. Brush the rim of the dish with a little egg, then cut thin strips of pastry and stick them on the rim, like a picture frame. Lift the rest of the pastry onto the pie and press down to the edges to stick. Trim the excess and crimp the edges to seal well. Make a small cross in the centre with a knife to help steam escape, and roll the trimmings into leaves, if you like. Stick these all over the pie, again using egg, to decorate. Can now be chilled for another 24 hrs or frozen for up to a month.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush the whole pie with more egg, then bake for 40-45 mins until really golden and crisp.

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.