Rustic Baked Lamb and Butternut Squash Parcels

Leftover slow-roast lamb is so versatile. You can use it to make curries, shepherds pie, crispy pitta pockets (watch out for that next week) but today Im making pasties. Well, they started off as pasties, but then I rolled the puff pastry a bit too thin and so had to perform some emergency surgery.

So now I give you RUSTIC MINTY LAMB AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH PARCELS.

Ingredients for 2 parcels (enough to feed a hungry army)

1 tbsp oil
Approx. 300g leftover roast lamb, either shoulder or leg, chopped into chunks
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1/2 butternut squash, de-seeded, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup frozen peas
200ml beef or chicken stock
4 tbsp double cream
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg, beaten, to glaze

1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil and gently fry the garlic and onion until soft.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to a simmer, then parboil the squash chunks until al dente, approx. 5-7 mins. Drain in a sieve and put aside.

3. Add the lamb, squash and peas to the frying pan and heat through for 3-4 mins. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then the cream. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens enough to coat the rest of the ingredients. Add the mint and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and put aside to cool.

4. Dust a work surface with plain flour and roll out the pastry sheet to desire thickness (make it thicker than mine, which was paper thin).

5. Cut the pastry into two long rectangles, then place spoonfuls of the lamb mixture in the centre. Carefully fold the sides and ends of the pastry around the filling and pinch closed with your fingertips.

6. Preheat the over to 180C/Gas 4. Transfer the parcels to a light greased baking sheet and brush the parcels with the beaten egg.

7. Cook for 20-25 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden.

8. Serve with whatever you fancy, but I went for potato wedges sprinkled with paprika and crushed minted peas.

¢ Have you got a bake, or even a cake, youd like to share with the world? Why not add it to the Linky below.

¢ NEXT WEEKS THEME WILL BE¦MOREISH MAINS. Everyone can join in!