God knows what possessed me to buy ground lamb. I didn't want to make moussaka. I didn't want a Sheppard's pie. So what was I thinking? In desperation I googled "ground lamb recipes" and came up with this. They were really quite good and if I hadn't been rushing, I could have probably made them pretty too.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 pound ground lamb
1/2 cup chopped pimento-stuffed Spanish olives
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
3/4 teaspoon pepper
5 dashes red pepper sauce
1 eegg
1 tablespoon water
2 recipes pastry for double crust pie, rolled 1/16th of an inch thick (confession - I used Pillsbury Already Pie Crust. It was fine.)
The original recipe called for a teaspoon of salt, but I don't think it needs it.
In a large frying pan, heat oil. Cook onion, garlic and pine nuts for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lamb, finely crumble and cook until lamb is no longer pink. Drain well. Add olives, cumin, oregano, salt pepper and red pepper sauce; set aside.
Preheat oven to 375. In small bowl, make egg wash by beating together egg and water; set aside. Using cookie cutter (I used an upside-down glass), cut 4-inch rounds out of pastry. Top each round with a tablespoon of filling. Fold over to make half moon; crimp edges to seal. Cut three 1-inch slits in top of pastry. Brush with egg wash. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
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