Name: Lamb phyllo pie with butternut and root vegetables
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cooking Method
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1.5 kg lamb Neck, shoulder or knuckles; 1 tsp salt; black pepper freshly ground; 2 onions chopped; 250 ml white wine or juice of 1 lemon; 1 lemon zest and juice; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 8 garlic cloves whole; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 blade mace; 2 bay leaves; 10 peppercorns; 2 cup beef stock; 2 cup butternut peeled and cut into large chunks; 2 carrots peeled, cut into thick slices; 2 parsnips peeled, cut into chunks; 2 beetroot roasted, peeled, and cut into quarters; 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped; 4 tbsp fresh parsley chopped; 200 g feta cheese chopped; 10 phyllo pastry sheets; 4 tbsp butter mleted; 2 tbsp flaked almonds; 2 tbsp pomegranate arils; 3 lemons; 2 garlic cloves finely chopped; 5 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tsp salt; black pepper freshly ground

Recipe Disclaimer

Tap for method

Ingredients (31)

For the lamb

1 tbsp	olive oil
1.5 kg	lamb — Neck, shoulder or knuckles
1 tsp	salt
	black pepper — freshly ground
2	onions — chopped
250 ml	white wine — or juice of 1 lemon
1	lemon — zest and juice
1 tbsp	Worcestershire sauce
8	garlic cloves — whole
1	cinnamon stick
1 blade	mace
2	bay leaves
10	peppercorns
2 cup	beef stock
2 cup	butternut — peeled and cut into large chunks
2	carrots — peeled, cut into thick slices
2	parsnips — peeled, cut into chunks
2	beetroot — roasted, peeled, and cut into quarters
2 tbsp	fresh mint — chopped
4 tbsp	fresh parsley — chopped
200 g	feta cheese — chopped

For the pastry

10	phyllo pastry sheets
4 tbsp	butter — mleted
2 tbsp	flaked almonds
2 tbsp	pomegranate arils

For the sauce

3	lemons
2	garlic cloves — finely chopped
5 tbsp	olive oil
1/2 tsp	salt
	black pepper — freshly ground
1 tbsp	fresh oregano — finely chopped

Tap for ingredients

Method:

Prepare the lamb filling

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Trim and cut the neck into 5 cm pieces. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook in batches, for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and cook until transparent.

Return the lamb to the saucepan and pour the wineand lemon juice slowly over it. Add the lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and peppercorns. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 ½ hours until the lamb is tender.

Add the butternut,carrots, parsnips, and roasted beetroot. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 20-30 minutes until butternut is almost tender and the sauce has reduced. Discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves and remove the bones from the meat if desired. Add the mint and parsley and mix gently.

When slightly cooler add the chopped feta. Leave the meat filling to cool whilst preparing the filo pastry.

Preheat the oven to 200°C.Open the filo pastry and brush one sheet at a time with butter, scrunch up and place on top of the pie. Continue with the remaining sheets until the casserole dish is covered. Drizzle with the remaining butter over the top and scatter with almonds. Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is crisp and golden. Scatter with pomegranate seeds just before serving. Serve with a roasted lemon sauce.

Prepare the sauce

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Halve the lemons and remove the pips. Place the lemons cut side up in a small baking dish. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the garlic and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Roast until the lemons are soft and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. When the lemons are cool enough to handle, squeeze the juice into the baking dish.

Pour the contents of the baking dish into a blender. Add the remaining olive oil. Blend until all the ingredients are completely pureed and the sauce has a thickened consistency. Season to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serve lamb pie accompanied by a rice salad and a baby marrow, cucumber and herb salad.

Supported by the Red Meat Industry of SA – Recipes and styling by Gerrie du Rand and photos by Michelle Parkin.