Lamb Tagine Pie is a modern Fusion recipe that blends north African and Greek styles by presenting a lamb tagine with a filo pastry topping and serving as a pie. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Fusion version of: Lamb Tagine Pie.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
I do love tagines, lamb with fruit and spices cooked slowly in a traditional cone-lidded clay pot. This recipe flavours the tagine with pomegranate molasses and tops the tagine with Greek filo pastry to make a very elegant dish that could well form the centrepiece of an elegant dinner party. Even better, if your tagine is oven-proof you can keep the stew inside the base and simply top with the pastry. Despite being a fiery chilli, as long as you keep the habanero whole it will lend the tagine a fruity flavour with minimal heat.
As this dish is finished with pomegranate seeds (actually arils) you can prepare it and serve it as a lucky dish for New Year's day.
I would normally cook this is a tagine, but I am assuming that you have a casserole dish or a cocotte. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Toss the lamb in the flour with some seasoning, then brown it in the dish. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the dish (which will cause the meat to steam instead of fry). Take your time to build up a deep brown colour, which will add lots of meaty flavour to the stew. Use a slotted spoon to set the meat aside on a plate as you go.
Add the remaining oil to the dish along with the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 mins until softened, then stir in the spices, tomatoes, apricot pieces, lemon zest and juice, honey and molasses. Fill the tomato can halfway with water, swill around and add this too. Season well, bring to a simmer and pop in the whole habanero chilli (be careful not to pierce) then cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and cook for 2 hrs 30 mins-3 hrs or until the meat is tender. At this point, if you do not want the dish hot, remove and discard the chilli. Otherwise, you can remove the chilli, chop finely and stir back into the stew. Set the dish aside to cool.
Heat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan, 320°F, gas mark 4). Transfer the meat to a pie dish that’s about 25cm wide, or leave it in the casserole if it’s wide enough to fit the topping. Unwrap the filo and brush a sheet with butter, scrunch up and place on top of the pie. Continue with the remaining sheets until the tagine completely is covered.
Drizzle any remaining butter over the top and scatter over the almonds, then transfer to your oven and bake for 45 mins or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds just before serving.
