Spinach and Lamb Pie
Thanks to taste.com.au for the picture

This is a variation of a recipe that I got from a Greek cookbook. I love the way Greeks eat and in summer, it’s usually grilled meat with fresh salad, crusty bread and of course, yogurt sauce. All washed down by a good crisp Chardonnay which is a town in Greek somewhere.

Ingredients

Lamb – I’ve used both minced lamb from the supermarket and left over lamb from a roast. They both work. I don’t roast much lamb any more so I use minced. If you use roasted lamb, trim excessive fat and chop.

Cumin

garlic, onion, chilli(optional) all chopped

salt and pepper to taste

tin of chopped tomatoes

Spinach – frozen is okay, fresh is better, chopped, but no matter which one try and get most of the water out. I use a sieve and then push it down with a potato masher. When it is baking the rest of the water should evaporate.

Carrot, grated

Zucchini, grated

Tomato paste

Short crust pastry

Method

In a fry pan with oil added on medium heat, add the garlic salt and pepper and cumin.
Stir through for a couple of minutes once you see the oil start to bubble.
Add onion. Stir through and cook a few minutes, don’t let this mix burn. If it does throw it out and start again.
Add the lamb and brown, breaking the mince up to get the meat finer. If it has been roasted you may even want to mince it slightly.

Add tomato paste and tinned tomatoes.
Add spinach, carrot and zucchini. Cook then down for just a couple of minutes.
Mix well, leave heat on low with lid off.
Get this as dry as you can without burning.

Turn heat off. Keep the lid off till cool, then cover.

I usually make this in the morning for that night but remember I’m a nut job. But truly the mix needs to be cool before it goes on the pastry.

I don’t make my own pastry. I get mine from the supermarket. Cut it like this, four cuts at roughly 45 degrees, this can make one big pie or several small ones.

Fill the centre with the mix and fold over each edge leaving an opening at the top. Spray the pastry with oil and top the opening with feta. The picture one is similar but a is a full pie and is made with pastry strips across the top for effect.

I have used mashed potato instead of feta or grated cheese and there are a thousands of substitutions. Enjoy and many thanks to out Greek community.