Tim Storrier

Fez Lamb Pie

2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 cinnamon stick, broken up
4 whole cardamom pods
3 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 cloves
8 peppercorns, any colours
6 garlic cloves, peeled
3 cm knob fresh ginger, peeled
2 red-hot chillies, deseeded
1 bunch coriander, leaves not roots
1 tablespoon (or so) preserved lemon
(substitute juice of 1 lemon if you don’t have preserved lemons)
3 medium brown onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 x 400 g tins Italian tomatoes, diced
sea salt, generous pinch
packet puff pastry or home-made shortcrust pastry
good olive oil

Preparing the spices

Preheat oven to 160ºC.

In a dry pan on a low heat and with no oil, gently dry-fry the cumin, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cardamom pods, fennel seeds, cloves and peppercorns, just for about 5 minutes to release the flavours.

Don’t overcook them or they will become bitter.

Whizz the spices in a coffee grinder or use a pestle and mortar to make a fine paste.

In a food processor, pulse the garlic, ginger, chillies, coriander (reserving some to sprinkle on top when serving), preserved lemon and lastly the onions as you do not want them too fine.

Heat 6 generous tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy cast-iron casserole dish with a good fitting lid.

Fry the pulsed mixture for 5 minutes or so until translucent but not browning.

Add the blended spices and more oil if too dry, and fry for a few more minutes.

Add the tinned tomatoes.

Continue to simmer gently.

Add sea salt to taste.

Preparing the meat

Fry the meat in batches in more olive oil in a separate pan to just brown and seal the meat.

Now add the browned meat to the casserole dish and place in the oven and cook gently for 2½ hours, stirring occasionally.

If there is too much liquid in the dish during the cooking, remove the lid, or conversely add water if it is becoming too dry.

When the meat is tender and falling apart, remove it from the oven.

Turn the temperature up to 200ºC.

Place the meat in a pie dish.

You can add a sheet of puff pastry with a ‘pie bird’ in the centre to release the steam, or if you do not have one, slash the pastry to allow the steam to escape.

You can fashion a tassle with puff pastry slices.

Glaze with milk and cook in the hot oven for a further 20 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden.

Watch the pastry as it can burn very quickly.

Alternatively, you can fashion a fez-style top to your pie from homemade shortcrust pastry.

I make mine in the food processor and chill it in the fridge until I’m ready to roll — always use unsalted butter.

This pie is a bit of fun.

I serve it with peas and a green salad.

serves 6