Ichlekli

Ingredients

• 500 g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• 250 ml warm water
• 1 1/2 tsp salt for the dough
• 60 g butter, melted
• 600 g lamb shoulder, cut into 1 cm dice
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 2 potatoes, cut into 5 mm dice
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
• 2 tsp salt for the filling
• 80 ml cold water or lamb stock
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Before you cook

• Dice the lamb small by hand, keeping a little fat on the pieces.
• Chop the onions finely and cut the potatoes into small even dice.
• Mix the lamb, onion, potato, pepper, cumin and salt in a bowl, then stir in the cold water so the filling stays juicy in the oven.
• Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Steps

1. Mix the flour, salt, melted butter and warm water into a dough and knead for 8 minutes until smooth.
2. Cover the dough and rest it for 40 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 200C fan 180C.
4. Cut the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other.
5. Roll the larger piece into a round about 34 cm across and lift it onto the lined tray.
6. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a clear 3 cm border all the way round.
7. Roll the second piece into a slightly smaller round and lay it over the filling.
8. Press the two edges together firmly, then roll and crimp them inwards to make a rope seal.
9. Cut a small hole in the centre of the lid so steam can escape without splitting the seam.
10. Brush the whole pie with beaten egg and scatter over the sesame seeds.
11. Bake for 20 minutes at 200C, then turn the oven down to 180C and bake for 25 minutes more until deep golden.
12. Rest the pie for 10 minutes so the juices settle back into the filling.
13. Cut it into wedges at the table and serve with the juices that pool on the tray.