This gorgeous filo pastry pie is a variation on the lamb tagine. A robust main course that would not look out of place on any dinner-party table.
Ingredients
– 3 tbsp vegetable oil – 800g lamb shoulder, fat removed, diced – 3 tbsp plain flour – 1 large onion, chopped – 2 garlic cloves, crushed
– 1 tbsp ras el hanout – 2 tsp ground coriander – 2 tsp ground cumin – good pinch of ground cloves – good pinch of saffron (optional)
– 1 cinnamon stick – 400g can chopped tomatoes – 1 lemon, zested and juiced – 1 tbsp honey – 4 tbsp pomegranate molasses
– 270g pack filo pastry (4-6 sheets) – 50g butter, melted – 50g flaked almonds – 50g pomegranate seeds
Instructions
Melt oil in a large flameproof casserole. Toss lamb with flour and spices, then brown in dish. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding and steaming/frying the meat.
Spend time turning the stew a deep brown color for beefy flavor. Keep the meat on a plate.
Then add the onion, garlic, and remaining oil. Incorporate spices, tomatoes, lemon zest and juice, honey, and molasses after 5 minutes of softening.
Water the tomato can halfway, swill it, and add it. Stir, season, and cover. To tenderize the meat, reduce the heat and cook for 2–3 hours. Finish cooling.
Oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. You can put the meat in a 25cm pie dish or leave it in the casserole if it fits the topping. Spread butter on a filo sheet, scrunch it, and set it on the pie.
Keep covering the tagine with sheets. Finish with any remaining butter and almonds, then bake for 45 minutes until crisp and golden. Just before serving, sprinkle pomegranate seeds.