Spiced Lamb, Leek and Kale Filo Pie

by Angela Patel

This quick and easy lamb filo pie is perfect for entertaining family and friends over the Easter weekend. It’s packed with a flavoursome mix of spiced lamb mince, seasonal leeks and curly kale and wrapped in a crisp buttery filo pastry case.

I like to serve it with a crisp green salad and tzatziki. For a more substantial lunch serve with buttered steamed new potatoes and honey roast baby veg.

Kitchen tools needed:

Cole & Mason Chopping Board

Prep:  20 mins, plus cooling time

Cook: approx. 1 hour

Difficulty Easy

Serves 4-6 servings

 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500g lean lamb mince
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 150g curly kale, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 180ml hot lamb or vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped mint
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 sheets (approx 225g) filo pastry (see Tips)
• 40g butter, melted
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• Tzatziki and salad leaves, to serve

 

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and lamb mince and cook for for 5-6 minutes until the mince is browned all over, stirring, to break up any lumps.

2. Stir in the coriander, cumin and chilli powder and cook for 1 minute then add the kale, stock and tomato puree. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Leave to cool for 15 minutes then stir in the mint and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Preheat the oven to to 190°C/170°C fan/Gas Mark 5 and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Use some of the melted butter to grease a 20cm round loose-based caked tin or ovenproof dish.

4. Brush one sheet of the filo pastry lightly with melted butter and drape in the base of the tin or dish, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the edge. Repeat with another 4 sheets of pastry. Spoon the lamb mixture into the pastry case and fold over the excess pastry, to cover.

5. Brush the remaining sheet of pastry with butter and tear into wide strips. Scrunch loosely and place on top of the pie. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden, covering the top loosely with foil if the pastry starts to overbrown.

6. Cool the pie for 5 minutes then carefully remove it from the tin or dish and transfer to a chopping board. Slice and serve with tzatziki and salad, if liked. This pie is best served on the day of making.

TIPS:

Filo pastry sheets can vary in size so you may have fewer larger ones that need cutting to size or smaller ones that need to overlap to completely line the tin. Don’t worry if the pastry tears just make sure that there are no holes in the base.

Placing the tin on a hot baking sheet in the oven will give an extra boost of heat to ensure the pastry base of the pie cooks through.

If you prefer, replace the kale with 200g steamed baby spinach leaves. Press any excess liquid out of the spinach between sheets of kitchen paper and add to the cooked lamb mixture with the chopped mint.