Chef John`s recipe!
Light and delicious pie!
Ingredients for minced meat:
Minced meat(lamb)-700 gms,
Olive oil-1 tbsp,
Onion-2 medium size-diced,
Plain flour-1/3 cup,
Salt to taste,
Black pepper-1 tsp,
Red chilli pwd-1/2 tsp,
Cinnamon pwd-1/4 tsp,
Dry rosemary-1/4 tsp,
Garlic-10 small or 4 big-minced or chopped,
Tomato ketchup-4 tbsp,
Carrot -1or1 cup-diced,
Frozen peas-100gms or 1 cup,
Water -1 and 1/4 cup.
Ingredients for potato topping:
Potato-700 gms-boiled,
Butter-1 tbsp,
Salt to taste,
Black pepper- 1/2 tsp,
Red chilli pwd-1/2 tsp,
Light cream or cream cheese-1/4 cup,
Milk-1/4 cup,
Cheese for pizza-combination of cheddar and mozzarella-100 gms,
Egg yolk-1.
Method: greased 7 x 11 baking dish.
Take a cooking pan add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
Add chopped onion and saute in high heat for few seconds.
Add minced or chopped garlic and saute for few seconds more.
Add minced meat and cook on high heat till it dries out and browns a little (10 minutes).
Add flour and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on low to medium heat.
Add chopped carrots.
Add salt,pepper,red chilli pwd,cinnamon pwd,dried rosemary leaves.
Mix and add tomato ketchup.
After few seconds add 1 and 1/4 cup water.
Let it come to boil.
Put a lid on and lower the heat and cook for 6 minutes.
The consistency of minced lamb should be thick and not dry.
Add the frozen peas and close gas.
Adjust seasoning.
Mix and transfer the minced mixture to the greased baking tray.
With a wooden spoon,tap it down to make the surface smooth.
Filling:
Boil and mash the potatoes while still warm with a crusher,spoon or fingers.
Add butter,salt,pepper,red chilli pwd,1/4 cup grated cheese.
Add cream and then mix egg yolk and milk in a bowl and then add it to the potato mixture.
Mix with a spoon for few minutes till it is creamy and smooth.
Using a tbsp put dollops of the potato mixture on the minced meat.
Spread and smooth the top evenly with a fork.
Bake the pie in a pre heated oven 375 F or 180 C for 40 to 45 minutes or till you see the edges and top is lightly brown.
Take out from oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Enjoy the pie with dinner roll and salad.
Ingredients for pie crust:
All purpose flour: 1 and 1/2 cup or 170 gms ( sieved ),
White granulated sugar- 1 tsp ( powdered),
Cold butter- 6 tbsp or 85 gms,
Shortening- 2 tbsp,
If shortening is not available use the same amount of butter,
Ice cold water- 4 tbsp.
Ingredients for quiche filling:
Fresh spinach-300 gms -blanched, thoroughly squeezed and finely chopped,
Sausages-4-chopped,
Onion-1/2 -finely chopped,
Garlic-5 to 6 finely chopped or minced,
Mozzarella cheese-1/2 cup-shredded,
Whole egg-1,
Egg yolk-1
Cream-1/2 cup or 120 ml,
Milk-1/3 cup or 80 ml,
Salt,pepper,chilli flakes,pizza seasoning,oregano.
Method: Pie crust
Mix flour and sugar in a bowl.
Add the cold butter and shortening until the mixture is crumbly ( You can use your fingers to crush the butter or use potato crusher ).
Add cold water one tbsp at a time until the dough is moistened and starts to clump together when pinched ( it should not be a solid ball of dough).
Turn the dough out into the counter and gather into a ball.
Flatten into a 5 inch disk.
Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll out.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to fit a 8 or 9 inch pie pan or tart pan.
( Keep plastic on top of the dough to roll into the desired length - (it makes it easy )- keep lifting the rolled dough and sprinkle flour on the counter so that the bottom does not stick to the surface)
Lightly roll the pastry around your rolling pin and unroll onto the top of your pie pan ( dust excess dough with a brush).
Lightly press the pastry onto the bottom and and upside of the pan.
Fold inside the extra dough which is hanging and press all around and flute the edges of the pastry.
Cover and chill the pie crust in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Pre heat oven to 425F or 215 C
Remove the pie crust from the freezer and prick the bottom of the crust with a fork.
Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 375 F or 190 C and continue to bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until the pastry is dry and lightly browned.
Remove from oven.
Lightly beat one egg white with a pinch of salt and brush the hot crust with a thin coat of the beaten egg ( it seals the crust ).
Let the crust cool off as you make the filling.
Quiche filling:
Pre heat oven to 375 F or 190 C
Blanch the spinach in hot boiling water for few seconds then run through cold water.
Squeeze out the water and then finely chop it.
In a non stick pan over medium heat toss the sausages till they lightly browned.
Remove from heat and keep aside.
Add 1 tsp of oil,add the minced garlic.
After few seconds add the chopped onions and fry until soft.
Add the chopped spinach.
Saute in high heat for few seconds.
Sprinkle salt,pepper,chilli flakes and pizza seasoning.
Close gas.
Mix the spinach and sausages.
Spread the mixture evenly on the bottom of the pre baked pie crust.
Sprinkle cheese.
In a bowl mix together eggs,cream and milk.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour over the spinach and bake in the pre heated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the custard
is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let it cool for 1/2 hour before serving.
4 to 6 servings.
Note: you can make your own filling veg or non-veg!
