Greek Lamb Pie Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand for 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mash potatoes with sour cream and butter; set aside. , Rinse eggplant and drain well. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat. In a skillet, cook eggplant in oil over medium heat until browned and oil is absorbed. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish., In the same skillet, cook lamb and turkey over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, onion, parsley and seasonings. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Pour over eggplant; sprinkle with feta cheese. Spread mashed potatoes over the top. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until top begins to brown. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. In a medium bowl, combine 4 cups of the flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, the 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 eggs, very well beaten. Stir with a fork from the center outward until a dough begins to form. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Knead the dough until silky to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes, adding more flour if necessary. Grease a bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• In a heavy skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the scallions, and saute over medium heat until wilted. Add the lamb. Season with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.
• Combine the anthotyro or ricotta with the shredded gravieri cheese. Stir in 1 egg.
• Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the first half to a circle about 13 inches in diameter. Place on the bottom of the pan, and lightly press around the sides. There should be at least an inch of dough hanging over the pan's top rim. Spread half the lamb on the bottom of the pan. Spread half the cheese mixture evenly over it. Repeat with the remaining lamb and cheese. Roll out the second half of the dough, and place over the filling. Trim the edges, leaving 1 to 1 1/2 inches of dough hanging over the outer sides of the pan. Roll up the dough to form a rim of crust around the top of the pan. Cover, and set aside for 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the remaining egg. With a sharp knife make four slits in the surface of the dough. Brush the dough with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the pastry is golden and begins to separate from the sides of the pan. Cool slightly on a rack. Remove the sides of the pan just before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. Pound the garlic, half the oregano, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar, then add the lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Stab the lamb all over with a sharp knife, then push as much of the herb paste as you can into the holes.
• Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tin, then toss in the remaining olive oil and any remaining herb paste. Nestle the lamb amongst the potatoes, roast for 20 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Roast for 1 hr 15 mins for medium-rare, adding another 15 mins if you prefer your lamb medium. Baste the lamb once or twice with the juices and toss the potatoes. When the lamb is done to your liking, remove from the tin and let it rest. Throw the rest of the oregano in with the potatoes, scoop from the tin and keep warm.
• Place the roasting tin over a medium flame, add the canned tomatoes and olives to the pan juices, then simmer for a few mins. Serve the lamb with the potatoes and sauce and a simple salad.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook for 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more, then tip in the lamb mince, turn up the heat and brown, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon.
• Once the lamb is browned, add the cinnamon, crumbled stock cube, tomatoes and oregano. Stir well and simmer for 15 mins, covered, then for 15 mins, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes have cooked down.
• Meanwhile, cook the macaroni following pack instructions. Drain well. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Mix together the ricotta, most of the parmesan and the milk with plenty of seasoning, and stir into the macaroni. Tip the mince into a large baking dish, top with the macaroni mixture, and scatter over the remaining parmesan. Bake for 30 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve hot with garlic bread, if you like.

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a casserole pot over a medium-high heat and fry the lamb for 5-7 mins, or until deep brown all over. Cover with the stock, then add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 11/2 hrs, or until the lamb is tender and falling apart.
• Heat the remaining oil and the butter in a frying pan, then fry the onions with a large pinch of salt for 15-20 mins, or until golden and sticky. Add the garlic and spices, and cook for 3 mins more. Remove the lamb from its stewing liquid (reserving the liquid), transfer to a chopping board and shred using two forks. Stir the shredded meat into the onion mixture, along with 50ml of the reserved liquid.
• Put the spinach in a pan with 1 tbsp water, and cook for 3-4 mins, or until wilted. Wrap in a clean tea towel and squeeze out the excess liquid, or put in a fine sieve and press it out using the back of a wooden spoon. Roughly chop the spinach, then stir into the lamb and onion mixture along with the feta, mint, pine nuts and egg. Season.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, and brush a 22cm round springform cake tin with some of the melted butter. Layer four sheets of filo pastry across the tin, then brush with more melted butter. Spoon in the filling, and fold the overhanging pastry over the top. Scrunch up the remaining pastry sheets, put on top of the pie, and brush with the remaining melted butter. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake for 45-50 mins, or until golden and crisp. Will keep in the fridge for up to up to two days.

Steps:

• Heat oil in pan, and add lamb. Cook until lightly browned, then remove from heat.
• In a bowl, combine lamb, sauce, and fetta.
• From each pastry sheet, cut 2 tops and two bottoms, and line 12 lightly greased pie tins with the larger rounds of pastry, and brush the edges lightly with milk.
• Divide the mixture evenly between each pie, and put top sheet of pastry on, pressing the edges to seal.
• Brush pies with milk, and bake at 200C for 20 minutes, or until pastry is golden and flakey.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, coat bottom of pan with olive oil and add ground beef (and mushrooms, if using). Cook, breaking up meat with back of spoon, and stirring often until meat and mushrooms are browned and liquid emitted has evaporated (make sure all the liquid has evaporated - you don't want a soggy pita!).
• Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, oregano and cinnamon and cook until liquid emitted from onions has evaporated, too.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times to bring hot filling up (to cool faster).
• Add cheese, parsley and eggs to meat filling and combine thoroughly to blend. Taste filling and adjust seasoning to suit your taste.
• In a 15 x 10 inch pan (or large pan), layer half the phyllo sheets, brushing each one generously with olive oil (use a pastry brush), before adding the next sheet of pastry.
• Pour the meat filling into the phyllo-lined pan.
• Layer the remaining phyllo sheets in the same way, over the filling, brushing each one generously with olive oil before adding the next sheet of pastry. When you reach the last sheet (the top one), brush this one slightly more generously than the rest, tuck in any overhang you have neatly into the pie and score pie, lengthwise, into 4, using the tip of a small, sharp knife and making sure you don't cut all the way through the bottom of the pastry (just the top crust and slightly into the filling).
• Position baking rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 190°C (375°F).
• Bring your pan next to the sink and run the cold water tap. Wet the tips of your fingers and shake the water onto the pastry. Do this a few times to ensure droplets of water fall all over the pastry (this ensures a crisp crust upon baking).
• Bake pie for approximately one hour, until you achieve a deep golden crust. If you have a flat-bottomed oven (no element), do put your pan on the floor of the oven for the last 20 minutes or so to ensure an even crisper bottom crust.
• The pita is best slightly warm or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Put the spinach into a large pan. Pour over a couple tbsp water, then cook until just wilted. Tip into a sieve, leave to cool a little, then squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop. Roughly chop the tomatoes and put into a bowl along with the spinach, feta and eggs. Mix well.
• Carefully unroll the filo pastry. Cover with some damp sheets of kitchen paper to stop it drying out. Take a sheet of pastry and brush liberally with some of the sundried tomato oil. Drape oil-side down in a 22cm loosebottomed cake tin so that some of the pastry hangs over the side. Brush oil on another piece of pastry and place in the tin, just a little further round. Keep placing the pastry pieces in the tin until you have roughly three layers, then spoon over the filling. Pull the sides into the middle, scrunch up and make sure the filling is covered. Brush with a little more oil.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cook the pie for 30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the cake tin, slice into wedges and serve with salad.

Steps:

• In large pot add broth, bone from leg of lamb,garlic and onions. Simmer on medium low for 1 hour. Add water if less than 3 inches of liquid in pot.
• Add thyme, diced lamb, celery,wine and simmer for 1/2 hour longer.
• Add carrots and turnip and bring to a low boil for 15 minutes.
• Add potatoes and low boil for 15 minutes longer.
• Add mushrooms and peas and reheat to low boil.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. At this point you may decide you need more thyme and garlic.
• Mix corn starch with 2/3 cup water and slowly add to pot stirring to thicken broth to desired consistence.
• Add gravy browning to your liking.
• Fill pie crust and tops; seal around edges, cut vent holes in top and bake as directions require for filled crust.
• Enjoy remaining stew as is.

Steps:

• For filling:
• Scatter eggplant on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt; let stand 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Rinse eggplant and pat very dry.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl.
• Sprinkle lamb generously with coarse salt and pepper, then dust with flour to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add half of lamb. Sauté until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to large bowl. Repeat with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining lamb.
• Add 1 additional tablespoon oil to same pot, if needed. Add onions. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until very tender, about 10 minutes (bottom of pot will be very dark). Add wine to pot. Increase heat and boil until wine evaporates, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, broth, garlic, and oregano and bring to boil. Add lamb with any accumulated juices. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Uncover and continue to simmer until lamb is very tender and gravy thickens slightly, about 45 minutes. Stir in eggplant. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and chill.
• For topping:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 14 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter with oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add milk and bring to simmer.
• Drain potatoes. Return to pot. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates. Add milk mixture and mash potatoes until just smooth. Stir in cheese. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Drop potatoes over filling by heaping tablespoonfuls, covering completely.
• Bake pie until filling is heated through and topping is golden, about 45 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Season lamb meat with a pinch of salt & pepper, before adding 2 Tbsp of oil to a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Brown Meat until golden brown all over, you may do this in batches.
• Remove meat from pan add remaining olive oil along with the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until browned.
• Add meat back to the pan along with red wine, cook for 1-2 minutes until wine reduces to bubbles, pour in stock and add the bay leaves, thyme rosemary and a pinch of salt & pepper.
• Bring to a boil cover with a lid and place in the oven to cook for 4-6 hours or meat falls apart. Remove from the oven and cook on stove top with lid off until sauce reduces by a third.
• Meanwhile, bring another pot of water to a boil add a pinch of salt and cook potatoes for 8-10 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife. Drain and mix in a bowl with 1 tbsp of butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Turn your broiler or grill on, spoon ricotta on top of lamb mix, followed by potato mix, and cook for 5-7 minutes or until slight little bits of golden color appear on the surface. Take straight to the table :).