This is a recipe for a traditional British Scotch Pie, featuring a rich, spiced lamb mince filling encased in a sturdy hot water crust pastry. It is designed to be clear and easy to follow for home cooks of all skill levels.
Prepare the spice and aromatic mixture: Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds. Toast them for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remove and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil to the same pan. Add 2 finely chopped red onions, 6 garlic cloves, 3 finely chopped green chillies, 1 finely chopped red pepper, and a good pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring often, until all moisture has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the toasted cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons of coriander. Let this mixture cool completely. 2. Prepare the lamb filling: In a large bowl, combine 1 kg of lamb mince, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 3 tablespoons of fresh coriander, and the cooled spiced onion mixture. Mix everything until just combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture. 3. Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 200C (400F, Gas Mark 6). Generously grease a 20cm (8-inch) loose-bottomed or springform round cake tin with lard. 4. Make the hot water crust pastry: Sift 340g of plain flour and 0.5 teaspoon of salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour. In a saucepan, combine 90ml of milk, 150g of lard, and 90ml of water. Heat gently until the lard melts. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Carefully pour the boiling liquid into the well in the flour. Use a wooden spoon to mix until a rough dough forms. When cool enough to handle, knead the dough briefly to form a ball. 5. Assemble the pie: Lightly flour a work surface. Knead the dough briefly; it will be soft. Cut off about one-third of the pastry and set it aside for the pie lid. Roll out the remaining two-thirds of the pastry on the floured surface. Use this larger piece of pastry to line the greased pie tin. Press the pastry firmly against the sides, ensuring it extends slightly over the top edge of the tin. Spoon the chilled lamb filling into the pastry-lined tin. Press it down gently, forming a slight peak at the top. Roll out the reserved one-third of pastry into a circle for the pie lid. Place the lid over the filling. Pinch the edges of the top and bottom pastry together to seal them. Trim any excess pastry. Make a small hole in the center of the pie lid. Roll a small piece of aluminum foil into a tube and insert it into the hole to act as a chimney for steam. 6. Bake the pie: Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg yolk. Place a baking tray on the oven shelf below the pie to catch any drips. Bake in the preheated oven at 200C (400F, Gas Mark 6) for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 160C (325F, Gas Mark 3). Continue to bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. 7. Cool and serve: Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature. Then, refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, before serving. Once chilled, run a knife carefully around the edge of the pie. Remove the pie from the tin. Slice and serve with chutneys, salads, or pickles.