Spiced harissa lamb pasties

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These lamb pasties move away from the classic Cornish flavour profile and into a warmly spiced, modern British picnic style. Harissa, preserved lemon and sweet potato make the filling aromatic and rich without losing the familiar comfort of a baked pastry parcel.

Serves: 20 people

Preparation time: 50 min

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil – 2 tsp
• Onion, finely chopped – 1
• Leek, finely chopped – 1
• Lamb mince – 300 g
• Preserved lemon – 1 small
• Garlic cloves, crushed – 2
• Sweet potato, peeled and cut small – 150 g
• Ground cumin – 2 tsp
• Harissa – 3 tbsp
• Tomato purée – 1 tbsp
• Butter, cubed – 125 g
• Lard, cubed – 125 g
• Plain flour – 500 g
• Egg, beaten – 1
• Nigella seeds – 2 tsp

Method

1. Soften the onion and leek in oil over a medium-low heat. Add the lamb mince and cook until the meat browns and the moisture has cooked away.
2. Stir in the chopped preserved lemon peel, garlic, sweet potato, cumin, harissa and tomato purée. Add a splash of water and simmer until the sweet potato begins to soften and the filling is quite dry. Cool completely.
3. Make the pastry by rubbing or blitzing the butter, lard, flour and salt to crumbs, then adding cold water until the dough just comes together. Chill for 30 minutes.
4. Roll out the dough and stamp out small circles. Keep the pastry thick enough to hold the filling without tearing.
5. Fill each circle with a heaped spoonful of lamb mixture, brush the edges with egg, fold over and crimp. Brush again with egg and scatter over nigella seeds.
6. Chill briefly, then bake at 200 degrees Celsius until golden and crisp. Let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.