British · Lamb
McSinghs Scotch pie
A fusion take on the classic Scottish pie featuring spiced lamb mince with Indian flavors in hot water crust pastry. This unique recipe combines traditional Scottish baking techniques with aromatic cumin, coriander, and chili.
The Method
Instructions
First things first, grab a large frying pan and heat it up over a medium heat. Toss in the cumin seeds and toast them gently for a few minutes until you start to smell that warm, nutty aroma,this really brings out their wonderful flavor. Keep an eye on them and give the pan a little shake now and then so they toast evenly, but don't let them burn. Once they're nicely toasted, scoop them out and set them aside for now.
Using the same pan, pour in the rapeseed oil and warm it up. Now add your diced red onion, minced garlic clove, chopped green chilli, and red pepper along with a good pinch of salt. Stir everything together and let it cook gently for about eight minutes. You're aiming to cook out all the moisture, so the mixture gets nice and soft, and the flavors start to meld together beautifully. When the onions turn translucent and the pepper softens, remove the pan from the heat. Now stir in those toasted cumin seeds you set aside, along with the ground mace or nutmeg and ground coriander. Give everything a good mix and then leave this fragrant mixture to cool down completely. *This step is key because it allows those spices to infuse the filling beautifully without cooking the lamb too early.*
Once the spiced onion mixture has cooled, take a large bowl and add your lamb mince, a pinch of white pepper, fresh coriander leaves, and that cooled spiced onion mix. Use your hands or a spoon to really combine everything thoroughly so the flavors are evenly distributed. Once mixed, cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge to chill whilst you prepare the rest. This resting time helps the filling firm up and lets the flavors marry even more.
Now, onto the pastry. Preheat your oven to 200C (400F, Gas 6) . While it's warming, generously grease a 20cm (8 inch) diameter loose bottomed or springform round cake tin with plenty of lard. Don't be shy here; a good coating will help your pie slip out easily after baking and add delicious flavor to the crust.
To make the pastry, sift together the plain flour and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a little well in the center for the wet ingredients. In a saucepan, combine the milk, lard, and 90ml (3fl oz) of water. Warm this gently over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the lard has completely melted. Then turn the heat up a notch and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Carefully pour this boiling liquid all at once into the flour well. Grab a wooden spoon and stir quickly to bring everything together until the dough cools enough to handle. When it's manageable, bring the dough together into a ball with your hands. It will be soft and a bit moist, which is just right.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour and, working quickly, give the dough a brief knead just to smooth it out,remember it's quite soft, so you don't want to overwork it. Set aside about one third of the dough for the pie lid, and roll out the remaining two thirds on your floured surface. You want it thin enough to line the tin but sturdy enough to hold the filling.
Carefully press the rolled out pastry into your greased pie dish, making sure it goes right up the sides and even pokes just a little over the top edge of the tin. This will help you seal the pie later and give it a lovely crust edge.
Now for the fun part, spoon your lamb filling bit by bit into the pastry case. Pack it down gently as you go to avoid any air pockets. When you reach the top, shape the filling so it forms a slight peak in the center,this gives your pie that classic look and helps the filling cook evenly.
Roll out the reserved pastry and place it gently over the top of the pie. Pinch the edges of the base and lid together firmly to seal in all those wonderful juices, then trim off any excess dough to keep things neat. With a knife, poke a hole in the center of the pastry lid and pop in a small foil tube made from rolled up aluminium foil. This little chimney lets steam escape as the pie cooks, preventing a soggy crust or filling spillover.
Brush the entire top of the pie with beaten egg yolk,this will give it a beautiful golden shiny finish once baked. Pop the pie into your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. To catch any drips, place a tray on the shelf below the pie tin,trust me, this saves a lot of mess later on!
After 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 160C (325F, Gas 3) and continue to bake the pie for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. The crust should turn a gorgeous golden brown and the filling will be bubbling away inside. When it looks perfect, take it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Then, to set everything nicely, pop the pie in the fridge for at least two hours, or even better, overnight if you can wait that long.
When you're ready to serve, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pie to loosen it from the tin. Carefully remove the side of the tin and admire your handiwork! Slice it up and serve alongside your favorite chutneys, crisp salads, or tangy pickles. This pie tastes just as good warm or cold, so enjoy every bite with a cuppa or a pint.
Using the same pan, pour in the rapeseed oil and warm it up. Now add your diced red onion, minced garlic clove, chopped green chilli, and red pepper along with a good pinch of salt. Stir everything together and let it cook gently for about eight minutes. You're aiming to cook out all the moisture, so the mixture gets nice and soft, and the flavors start to meld together beautifully. When the onions turn translucent and the pepper softens, remove the pan from the heat. Now stir in those toasted cumin seeds you set aside, along with the ground mace or nutmeg and ground coriander. Give everything a good mix and then leave this fragrant mixture to cool down completely. *This step is key because it allows those spices to infuse the filling beautifully without cooking the lamb too early.*
Once the spiced onion mixture has cooled, take a large bowl and add your lamb mince, a pinch of white pepper, fresh coriander leaves, and that cooled spiced onion mix. Use your hands or a spoon to really combine everything thoroughly so the flavors are evenly distributed. Once mixed, cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge to chill whilst you prepare the rest. This resting time helps the filling firm up and lets the flavors marry even more.
Now, onto the pastry. Preheat your oven to 200C (400F, Gas 6) . While it's warming, generously grease a 20cm (8 inch) diameter loose bottomed or springform round cake tin with plenty of lard. Don't be shy here; a good coating will help your pie slip out easily after baking and add delicious flavor to the crust.
To make the pastry, sift together the plain flour and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a little well in the center for the wet ingredients. In a saucepan, combine the milk, lard, and 90ml (3fl oz) of water. Warm this gently over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the lard has completely melted. Then turn the heat up a notch and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Carefully pour this boiling liquid all at once into the flour well. Grab a wooden spoon and stir quickly to bring everything together until the dough cools enough to handle. When it's manageable, bring the dough together into a ball with your hands. It will be soft and a bit moist, which is just right.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour and, working quickly, give the dough a brief knead just to smooth it out,remember it's quite soft, so you don't want to overwork it. Set aside about one third of the dough for the pie lid, and roll out the remaining two thirds on your floured surface. You want it thin enough to line the tin but sturdy enough to hold the filling.
Carefully press the rolled out pastry into your greased pie dish, making sure it goes right up the sides and even pokes just a little over the top edge of the tin. This will help you seal the pie later and give it a lovely crust edge.
Now for the fun part, spoon your lamb filling bit by bit into the pastry case. Pack it down gently as you go to avoid any air pockets. When you reach the top, shape the filling so it forms a slight peak in the center,this gives your pie that classic look and helps the filling cook evenly.
Roll out the reserved pastry and place it gently over the top of the pie. Pinch the edges of the base and lid together firmly to seal in all those wonderful juices, then trim off any excess dough to keep things neat. With a knife, poke a hole in the center of the pastry lid and pop in a small foil tube made from rolled up aluminium foil. This little chimney lets steam escape as the pie cooks, preventing a soggy crust or filling spillover.
Brush the entire top of the pie with beaten egg yolk,this will give it a beautiful golden shiny finish once baked. Pop the pie into your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. To catch any drips, place a tray on the shelf below the pie tin,trust me, this saves a lot of mess later on!
After 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 160C (325F, Gas 3) and continue to bake the pie for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. The crust should turn a gorgeous golden brown and the filling will be bubbling away inside. When it looks perfect, take it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Then, to set everything nicely, pop the pie in the fridge for at least two hours, or even better, overnight if you can wait that long.
When you're ready to serve, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pie to loosen it from the tin. Carefully remove the side of the tin and admire your handiwork! Slice it up and serve alongside your favorite chutneys, crisp salads, or tangy pickles. This pie tastes just as good warm or cold, so enjoy every bite with a cuppa or a pint.
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