MINI LAMB-SHANK PIES
Serves 4 A LITTLE EFFORT 3 hrs
30 mins
WHAT YOU NEED
SHANKS
4 lamb shanks
100g cake flour, seasoned with salt
and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 x 400g tin whole unpeeled cherry
tomatoes (find at woolworths.co.za)
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
250ml (1 cup) red wine
500ml (2 cups) beef stock
PASTRY
500g cake flour + extra, to dust
pinch salt
250g salted butter, at
room temperature
90ml water, chilled
HOW TO DO IT
1 For the shanks, preheat the oven to
140°C. Lightly dust the lamb shanks
with the seasoned cake flour. Set
aside. Heat the canola oil in a large
stove-to-oven casserole dish (with a
lid, which you’ll use later) placed over
medium heat. Add the dusted lamb
shanks and brown on all sides, about
2 minutes per side. Using a slotted
spoon, remove the shanks from the
casserole dish and set aside.
2 Using the same casserole dish, sauté
the onion until soft and translucent,
about 5 minutes. Add the browned
lamb shanks, cherry tomatoes,
rosemary, wine and stock. Cover the
dish with the lid and roast in the pre-
heated oven until the meat is cooked,
about 2 hours. Remove from oven and
set aside until cooled.
3 For the pastry, preheat the oven to
200°C. Grease and line 4 deep, fluted
tart tins (each with a diameter of 12,5cm)
with baking paper. Set aside.
4 Combine the 500g cake flour and
salt in a large bowl. Using your
fingertips, rub the butter into the flour
mixture until it resembles fine bread-
crumbs. Add the chilled water and mix
until a smooth dough forms. Wrap the
dough in cling film and refrigerate to
chill, about 30 minutes.
5 Once chilled, roll the dough out
on a lightly floured work surface.Using a large round cookie cutter, cut
4 discs out of the dough that are large
enough to line the base and sides of
the prepared tart tins. Using a 12,5cm
round cookie cutter, cut 4 more discs
out of the dough. These will be used
as lids later on.
6 Line the prepared tart tins with the
larger pastry discs. Place a cooled
lamb shank in each of the pastry
casings and spoon some of the
leftover sauce from the lamb shanks
into each casing. Top each lamb shank
with a pastry lid, pushing the protruding
bone through the centre of the lid and
bring the pastry down until it reaches
the rim of the tart tin. Crimp the
edges to bring the pastry lid and
casing together.
7 Bake in the preheated oven until
golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside to
cool slightly. Once cool enough to
touch, remove the pies from the tart
tins. Serve immediately.MINI LAMB-SHANK PIESFOODANDHOME.CO.ZA APRIL 2019 475 WITH 1