Lamb, Pumpkin and Rosemary Pies with Smashed Peas

The lamb stew can be made a day ahead and placed in pie dishes cold just before baking.

LAMB PIES

600 grams lamb shoulder, cubed

3 tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon table salt

2½ teaspoons cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for greasing

20 grams butter

1 brown onion, finely diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

600 grams butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes

2 bay leaves

400-gram tin whole tomatoes

200ml chicken stock

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon sea salt

500 grams good-quality flaky puff pastry

1 egg, whisked

1 tablespoon black or white sesame seeds

PEAS

10 grams butter

2 cloves garlic, crushed

250 grams frozen peas, defrosted

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

sea salt and cracked black pepper

You will need 6 individual pie tins (12.5cm x 3cm), greased with olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

LAMB PIES: In large bowl, combine the lamb, flour, table salt and 1½ teaspoons of the pepper.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-based ovenproof saucepan. Dust any excess flour off the lamb and fry in batches until browned on all sides. Set lamb aside and return the pan to the heat. Add the onion and carrot and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until the onions have softened. If the onions are sticking to pan, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil.

Add the garlic and rosemary and fry for 1 minute. Return the lamb to the pan along with the pumpkin, bay leaves, tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt and the remaining pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and place in the oven for 2½ hours, or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

Discard the bay leaves and set the lamb stew aside to cool for at least 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C.

Roll the pastry out and cut 6 bases, roughly 2cm wider than the pie tins, then cut 6 tops the same size as the tins. Line each tin with pastry bases then fill with stew. Brush the edges of the pastry bases with egg wash then place the lids on top. Press down on the edges to seal.

Make a 1cm-long cut in the centre of each pastry lid. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle over sesame seeds. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

PEAS: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add the peas and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through. Remove from heat and roughly smash using a potato masher or the back of a fork. Add the mint and season with salt and pepper.

TO SERVE: Serve the pies with the smashed peas. SERVES 6