Stewed Lamb Pie

You could, I suppose, serve the filling just as a stew, but somehow putting it in a puff pastry crust makes it clear just how special and delicious this really is. We got some lovely lamb from Wooldrift Farm this year, and this was our first big try-out, on Christmas day. It was definitely worthy of that special spot. We thought this hit the perfect spot between nicely seasoned, but letting the flavour of the lamb speak for itself.

I had made some lamb broth which no doubt added to the intensity of flavour, but if you can't get it beef or chicken broth would do. I also pre-cooked the lamb in our Instant Pot, but you could stew it slowly instead if you don't have one. Should I confess that I used the heart in this dish? Mr. Ferdzy "doesn't like it" but it's just a particularly tough cut of stewing meat, and if you order a complete lamb you will get one. I cut it to about 1/4 of the size of the other pieces and proceed - no one has yet detected them.

The filling should be warm when you assemble the pie - too cold and it will take a long time to bake, too hot and you will really struggle with the pastry, which will want to melt rather than fold around it. By using the full-sized sheets you will have eight points around the edge, which should be folded inward once tucks have been made in the upper sheet to seal the edges of the lower sheet.

 

6 to 8 servings

1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours to pre-cook the lamb - 30 minutes prep time

1 1/2 to 2 hours to cook the pie - 40 minutes prep time

 

 

Pre-Cook the Lamb:

1/4 cup barley or wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed savory

3/4 teaspoon rubbed rosemary

2 bay leaves

freshly ground black pepper to taste

900 grams (2 pounds) stewing lamb

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

1 cup lamb, beef, or chicken broth  (can replace up to 1/2 with red wine) 

Mix the flour and the spices in a mixing bowl, then gently toss the prepared lamb in it - the lamb should be trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1" cubes, and if at all wet patted dry with paper towels.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and brown the floured meat in two batches to allow it to be well spread out in a single layer as it cooks. Put the browned meat into a large stewing pot or Instant Pot as it is done. 

Add the broth or broth and wine. If cooking in a stewing pot, simmer gently for an hour to an hour and a half until tender. If using the Instant Pot, cook for 30 minutes and allow it to release naturally. 

This can be done up to a day ahead and refrigerated; and it's a good idea as that will allow you to remove excess fat while it is congealed.

Make the Pie:

2 medium carrots

1 large onion

2 stalks of celery OR 1 cup peeled diced celeriac

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons lamb fat OR mild vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

up to 1 cup more lamb, beef, or chicken broth

450 grams (1 pound; 1 package) thawed from frozen puff pastry

 

Peel the carrots and cut them in dice. Peel and chop the onion. Wash, trim, and chop the celery or peel and dice the celeriac. Peel and mince the garlic. 

 

Heat the fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, and celery, and cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until softened and tender. You may want to add a bit of water and broth to help cook the carrots, but not so much that it won't cook off in the allotted time. 

 

Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar, and cook for a minute more, then add the stewed lamb along with any sauce that it is in. Add a little more broth if it seems dry. Heat the mixture through and simmer for a few minutes. It should be thick and saucy but not runny. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Gently roll one sheet of pastry to expand it slightly. Place it in a 9.5" pie plate. The short sides of the pastry should come most of the way up the sides of the pie plate, and the corners will hang over. Fill it with the warm lamb filling. 

Roll out the remaining sheet of pastry in the same way as the first. Place it on top of the pie so that the corners of the top piece are in between the corners of the bottom piece. Lift them one at a time so that you can see the lower piece of pastry. Pull the lower piece of pastry away from the side of the pan and tuck the top piece down between them to seal it. The corner will stick up; fold it in over the pie. Repeat with the remaining three corners/sides. Cut some vent holes in the top of the pastry. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet, in case of leakages, and bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden-brown. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving. 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Braised Oxtail with Dried Tomatoes, Peppers, & Beans.