OUMA’S KAROO LAMB PIE
SERVES 6-8 / PREPARATION & COOKING: 3 HOURS / RESTING: 1 HOUR OR OVERNIGHT
SOUR-CREAM PASTRY
750ml (3c) cake flour
5ml (1t) salt 250g cold cubed butter 250ml (1c) sour cream
PIE FILLING
2kg lamb on the bone (shoulder, neck or knuckles or a mixture of the three) 500ml (2c) water 1 whole onion, peeled and spiked with 10 whole cloves 1 bay leaf
5 whole black peppercorns 5ml (1t) ground coriander
1 garlic clove, crushed
2,5ml (½t) dried red chilli flakes or cayenne pepper 10ml (2t) mustard powder
10ml (2t) white sugar
10ml (2t) vinegar 10ml (2t) salt 2,5ml (½t) ground black pepper 25ml (5t) cornflour or potato flour mixed with a little cold water to make a paste
1 whole onion, peeled and spiked with 5 whole cloves 1 egg, beaten
Keep a pie plate (about 23cm) handy,
1 Sour-cream pastry Sift the flour and salt three times in a large bowl and use a small knife to cut in the butter. Make sure the knobs of butter remain pea-sized and that they don’t become like breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream and cut in with a knife. When it’s well mixed, knead the dough until it holds together and makes a ball. Don’t add extra liquid, just carry on kneading lightly – the dough will become manageable and start to stick together. Leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes or longer – overnight is best.
4 Roll out the dough into a square on a floured surface and fold it in half and then into quarters. Turn the dough parcel half a turn, so that the open side faces towards you. Roll and fold once more in the same way. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat the “roll and fold” twice more. The dough is now ready for use and can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
Pie filling In a large pot, gently simmer the lamb with the