LAMB SHOULDER PIE (KUZU KAPAMA)
Serves 4
A LITTLE EFFORT
Preparation: 40 minutes, plus 1 hour’s proving time Cooking: 5 hours
lamb shoulder about 1.5 kg, bone in, shank removed carrots 2 onion 1 garlic 2 cloves celeriac 1 bulb, peeled small potatoes 5 cardamom pods 2 cinnamon stick 1 bay leaves 2 star anise 1 olive oil ½ cup dry red wine 1 cup beef stock 1 litre
For the spice rub: garlic 2 cloves sea salt 1T sweet paprika 1T ground cinnamon ½T freshly ground black pepper ½T lemon pepper ½T ground aniseed 1t olive oil ½ cup
For the pomegranate glaze: olive oil ½ cup pomegranate molasses 1 T (to make your own, see the charred brinjal recipe)
For the pastry: dried yeast ½t sugar 1t flour 300 g, plus extra for dusting thyme 2 sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped garlic 1 clove, crushed salt 1t lemon 1, zested butter 50 g free-range egg white 1 plain yoghurt 1T
1 Trim any large pieces of fat from the outside of the lamb shoulder. To make the spice rub, crush the garlic and mix in a bowl with the salt, spices and olive oil. Rub the mixture over the lamb, including in the cavities. Rest the lamb for 20 minutes. 2 To make the glaze, heat the olive oil and the pomegranate molasses in a wide pan for 2 minutes over a high heat. Place the lamb in the glaze and fry for 2 minutes on each side, caramelising the glaze onto the meat. 3 Preheat the oven to 140°C. Roughly chop the carrots, onion, garlic, celeriac and potatoes.
Place in a large ovenproof pot (one with a lid), with the cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves and star anise. Pour in the olive oil, red wine and beef stock to cover the lamb. Cover with the lid and bake for 4½ hours, or until the meat is very tender. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. 4 Meanwhile, make the pastry. Mix the yeast and sugar in 1½ cups lukewarm water and set aside for 5 minutes; it should start to form bubbles. Sift the flour into a bowl, make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, or until the dough is as soft as an earlobe. Mix the thyme, garlic, salt, lemon zest and butter, then add to the dough. Knead for a further 5 minutes. Sprinkle some flour onto your work surface and roll the dough into a ball. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for at least 1 hour. The dough should double in size. 5 Transfer the lamb and vegetables to a casserole dish. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C. 6 Roll the dough into a sheet big enough to cover the casserole dish with an overhang of about 4 cm on all sides. Beat the egg white, then paint it around the rim and outside edge of the dish. Drape the pastry sheet over the dish, and use the egg white to stick the overhang to the sides. Mix the yoghurt with ½ T water, then paint the yoghurt mixture over the dough. 7 Put the pie in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. 8 Slice the pie crust into four segments and put one on each plate. Scoop out a generous portion of the filling to put on top of the pastry and serve.
WINE: Woolworths Signature Series Gyles Webb Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2017