GRILLED LAMB FLATBREADS
MAKES 10 FLATBREADS / READY IN 30 MINUTES / RSF
This is a fantastic way to make a little bit of lamb mince go a long way. These yummy flatbreads can be made ahead and reheat very well – perfect for summer adventures and celebrations.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 500g/1lb lamb mince
1 onion, diced freshly ground black pepper finely grated zest of 1 lemon 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup finely chopped parsley 2 tablespoons lemon juice
TO SERVE
½ cup Greek yoghurt 2 tablespoons harissa
YOGHURT FLATBREAD
4 cups self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 1½ teaspoons salt
2 cups plain yoghurt (see Note)
Make the yoghurt flatbread dough. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Fold in the yoghurt and use your hands to mix to just combine. Set aside to rest while you prepare the filling.
To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the lamb mince, onion and pepper, and fry, stirring often to break up the mince until the mince is no longer pink and starts to brown (6–8 minutes). Add the lemon zest, cumin and salt, and cook for a further 2 minutes until aromatic. Remove from the heat and stir through the parsley and lemon juice, then set aside to cool.
Use floured hands to form the flatbread dough into a rough log and divide into 10 pieces. Flatten each piece of dough into 15cm/6in rounds. Spoon a loose ⅓ cup of the lamb filling onto the middle of the dough, then fold up the edges of your dough to join in the middle, covering the filling and forming a round parcel. (You want the lamb filling to be surrounded in dough, like a little pocket of deliciousness). Turn the flatbread over and use a rolling pin to gently roll out into a 12cm/5in round. Repeat this process with the remaining dough and filling until you have 10 rounds in total.
When you are ready to cook, preheat your barbecue or heavy frying pan to medium-high heat. Cook the flatbreads until golden and cooked through (about 3 minutes on each side).
To serve, cut each round into four and pile onto a serving board. Serve alongside a bowl of yoghurt with a couple spoonfuls of harissa swirled through it.
NOTE When making the dough, we’ve found these work best when you use plain runny yoghurt. If you are using Greek yoghurt, you will need to use a little more.
We both love vongole; it’s one of those things that is so lip-smackingly delicious when it’s done well. The trick is not to rush – cook the shellfish, then the pasta, and then it all together to heat through.
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped finely grated zest of 1 lemon 4 tomatoes, cored and chopped ½ cup dry white wine 3kg/6lb shellfish, rinsed and scrubbed
(cockles, mussels, tuatuas, or pipis) 500g/1lb dried linguine, bucatini,
or gluten-free alternative 2 tablespoon harissa, or more to taste ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and sizzle for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes and wine, increase the heat to bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until liquid has reduced and is aromatic (5 minutes).
Add the shellfish, cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook for 3–4 minutes, lifting the shellfish out of the pot and into a bowl as they open. Discard any shellfish that remain closed and set the pot aside without draining (you’re going to use this broth shortly).
Remove the flesh from half of the shells, discard the empty shells and reserve the flesh in a bowl with the cooked whole shellfish. The shellfish and cooking liquid can be prepared ahead to this point an hour or two before serving and chilled until needed (just transfer the shellfish broth into a smaller container to fit in your fridge).
When ready to serve, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for 3 minutes less than the packet instructions. While the pasta cooks, return to the large pot with the shellfish broth. Bring to a boil.
Drain the almost-cooked pasta and add it to the hot shellfish broth. Stir through the harissa and return to a boil over a high heat until the pasta is just al dente (2–3 minutes; it should still have a bit of bite).
Add the reserved shellfish, cover and heat through for about 1 minute. Stir through the parsley and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve family-style out of the large pot.
NOTE The cooking time given in this recipe is for small shellfish such as cockles or pipis. If using larger shellfish such as green-lipped mussels they will take a bit longer to cook.