TO MAKE THE PIE FILLING
Preheat the oven to 140°C conventional bake.

Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over a high heat.
When hot, season the lamb with salt and pepper, then fry in 2-3 batches until browned all over.
Transfer to a casserole dish.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and a splash of oil along with the onion, celery, capsicum and kumara.
Cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes until everything is soft and starting to caramelise.
Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add the stock, tomato paste, lemon juice and zest and anchovies (if using) and stir to combine.
Pour over the lamb and mix gently to combine.

Cover the dish with a lid (or 2 layers of tinfoil) and bake in the oven for 3½ – 4 hours.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Stir through the spinach and cornflour mixture.
Taste and season as required.

TO ASSEMBLE THE PIES
Increase the oven temperature to 200°C fan bake (220°C conventional).
Line 4-6 greased small pie dishes (or one large dish) with pastry.
Add the filling, brush the bottom pastry edges with some of the egg, cover with a pastry lid and press to seal.
Brush the top with egg and cut a couple of air holes.
Bake in the lower half of the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry is dark golden brown and cooked through.

Serve with a salad and tomato relish or chutney.

Chef’s Tip: You can make this dish in a slow cooker. After browning the meat and sweating the vegetable transfer all ingredient to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours. If the sauce needs thickening at the end of cooking, simmer in a saucepan with 2 teaspoons of cornflour with ¼ cup water.

Recipe from recipes.co.nz