Lahmajoun Lamb Empanadas

Lahmajoun Lamb Empanadas

PRODUCT USED: Saha Lahmajoun Sauce™

ATTRIBUTES: Comfort food, brunch, lunch, dinner

PREP TIME: 90 minutes; COOKING TIME: 30-35 minutes

SERVES - 8-10 (16-20 empanadas)   

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
• 1 pound (450 g) ground lamb
• 2 medium small potatoes, boiled and cut into 1 centimetre cubes
• 3 eggs, 2 hard boiled, 1 for egg wash
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) shelled peas
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• Saha Lahmajoun Sauce™
• 4 sheets (250 g each) prepared butter puff pastry 
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt

Directions:

1. In a large pan or dutch oven, sheet the oil over medium high heat. Add the lamb to the pan and begin to cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go, for 6-8 minutes, or until the lamb is cooked through.
   
   
2. Carefully drain the fat from the pan and add the Saha Lahmajoun Sauce™ and the 1/2 cup of water, Stir until well combined and return to the heat. Add the peas, olives and potato and cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is thickened.
   
3. Remove from the heat, add the chopped egg and set it aside to cool for about an hour.
   
4. While this filling cools, unroll the first sheet of puff pastry and cut rounds approximately 4.5-5 inches in diameter. I used a small bowl and cut around it.
5. You should be able to get 4 rounds out of each sheet and then roll the remaining scraps out and form a fifth round. Transfer each round back to the fridge after cutting to ensure they stay cool. repeat this for the remaining three sheets of pastry to end up with 20 dough rounds.
6. Crack the remaining egg into bowl and add 2 tbsp (30 ml) of cold water. Whisk until well combined to make an egg wash.
7. Working one at a time, lay a round out on parchment paper and put approximately 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the cooled fulling into the centre of the round.
8. Using a brush, apply the eggs wash to the bottom edge of the round of dough.
9. Fold the top edge down to the egg washed edge and press together, Crimp edge with the tines of a fork to seal the empanada.
10. Transfer the empanadas to a parchment lined baking sheet and place approximately 1 inch apart. Brush with the remaining egg wash and pierce tops with a fork.
11. Sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.