Ingredients

• 450g/1lb plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• 200ml/7fl oz water
• 75g/3oz butter
• chopped
• 75g/3oz lard
• chopped
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1kg/2lb 2oz leeks
• thinly sliced
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• leaves only
• 450g/1lb boneless leg of lamb
• cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• new potatoes
• cooked
• chantenay carrots
• cooked

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 225C/440F/Gas 8.
• Place a heavy baking tray into the oven to preheat.
• Mix the flour
• salt and icing sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the egg into it. Scoop a liberal amount of flour over to cover the egg.
• Place the water
• butter and lard into a saucepan over a low heat and bring slowly to the boil.
• Gradually pour the boiling liquid into the flour mixture
• stirring with a knife constantly to combine
• then knead on a clean
• floured surface until the egg is completely combined and the pastry is smooth. (NB: use the pastry immediately to make your pie because when the pastry cools it will harden and become unmanageable.)
• Cut off one third of the pastry and set this aside for the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry into a flat round shape large enough to line the base and sides of a 25cm/10in loose-bottomed cake tin
• allowing an overhang of pastry of about 2cm/1in.
• Roll out the pastry set aside for the lid to fit the top of the pie and set aside.
• For the filling
• heat a frying pan until hot
• then add the butter
• leeks and thyme and gently fry for 5-8 minutes
• or until the leeks are tender. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
• Place the lamb into a food processor along with the parsley and mint leaves and pulse to chop finely. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Spread the lamb mixture into the pastry case in a thick layer and then spread the leeks over the top.
• Brush the edges of the pastry with a little beaten egg. Place the pastry lid on top of the filling and pinch and crimp the edges of the case and lid together to seal.
• Trim away any excess pastry from the pie with a sharp knife and use the pastry trimmings to make decorative leaves for the top of the pie.
• Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and make a hole in the centre to allow the steam to escape. Arrange the pastry leaves on top and brush these with the beaten egg.
• Place in the oven to cook for 15 minutes
• then reduce the oven temperature to 180C/355F/Gas 4 and continue to bake for one hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes before serving.
• To serve
• cut out a wedge of pie and place onto a plate accompanied by buttered new potatoes and chantenay carrots.