Eunice Henderson - Shetland Food Fair 2015

Course: Main
Servings: 4 pide

Ingredients:

• olive oil - 4 tbsp
• onion - 1 (finely chopped)
• Shetland lamb - 400 grams (minced)
• allspice berries - 1/2 tsp (ground)
• coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp (ground)
• cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp (ground)
• cinnamon - 1/2 tsp (ground)
• nutmeg - 1/4 tsp (freshly grated)
• pine nuts - 2 tbsp
• tomatoes - 300 grams (finely chopped)
• tomato paste - 2 tsp
• filo pastry sheets - 6 (24 x 45 cm)
• sesame seeds - 6 tsp
• fresh mint - (to serve)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
2. Add 1 tbsp of the olive oil to a large pan and gently fry the onion until it begins to soften, about five minutes.
3. Add the lamb mince in two batches and brown well.
4. Add the ground spices, seasoning and pine nuts and cook for a further minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the liquid has mostly evaporated but the mixture is still moist.
6. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
7. Brush a sheet of the filo pastry with some of the remaining olive oil, season and sprinkle with 1 tsp of the sesame seeds.
8. Arrange the pastry on the baking tray into an oval shape approximately 25 cm long, folding the edges in to make a raised border.
9. Brush some more oil on half a sheet of filo pastry, season and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sesame seeds and ruffle it to fit inside the previous sheet of filo.
10. Repeat with the remaining sheets of filo pastry. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden.
11. Remove the filo pastry from the oven, spoon in the lamb mixture making sure to keep it inside the folded edges, and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes.
12. Sprinkle with mint and serve with garlicky yogurt.

Original recipe by Valerie Berry (valerieberry.com) published in the Guardian online.