Ireland
With Easter just over, you want recipes to use-up leftovers. This classic Irish pie is a great way of making use of leftover lamb, roast vegetables, gravy and any pan juices you may still have. It’s both economical and very tasty.
20/85/4
Ingredients:
170g (6 oz) fat (lamb dripping and/or butter)
1 small onion, peeled and diced
180g (6 ½ oz) left-over roast or raw root vegetables (carrot, potato, parsnip), trimmed, peeled and diced
180g (6 ½ oz) leftover roast lamb, shredded
300ml (1 ¼ cups) meat juices, gravy or stock
190g (6 ¾ oz) flour (I used wholemeal), plus 1 tbsp for the filling, and extra for dusting
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Milk, for glazing
Method:
Melt 30g (1 oz) of the fat in a sauté pan, then use to sweat down the onion, stirring often, for five minutes or until soft and just lightly coloured. Add the shredded lamb, the diced vegetables, the roasting juices, gravy or stock. Scatter over a tablespoon of flour, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until the liquid reduces to a very thick gravy, then take off the heat and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, rub the remainder of the lamb dripping and/or butter into 180g flour mixed with the fine sea salt, until the fat is evenly distributed in small pieces. Mix in the egg and two tablespoons of cold water until it comes together into a dough, then shape into a ball, cover and chill for 30 minutes.
On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the pastry to 4mm thick, then cut out four 10cm (4 in) discs and four 13cm (5 in) discs, re-rolling the scraps as necessary. Top each small disc with a tall mound of lamb filling, leaving a 1cm (1/2 in) rim all around the edge, then brush the exposed pastry with milk. Lay the large discs on top of the filling, then seal the edges with a fork. Cut a steam hole in the centre then brush with more milk. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200C (180C fan/390F/gas mark 6) and bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown.
Serve hot.
