Serves: 6

Preparation:  30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 - 35 minutes

Category: Meat

Plan: Best eaten fresh, can be re-heated.

Difficulty:  Easy

Course: Main

Cuisine:  Tunisian

Harissa Lamb and Sweet Potato Stuffed Marrow

This is a Guest Recipe originally for a Crispy Filo Pie from Janine Ratcliffe of Olive Magazine.

I loved the idea of this recipe being cooked in a Galette as an alternative to a Filo Pie, but in September, we had some enormous marrows in our Vegetable garden and I decided to use this filling to stuff the marrows - which was absolutely wonderful.

Having tried various versions of Harissa, our favourite is the one with Apricots.

Harissa is a not chilli paste that originated in Tunisia, North Africa.

It's main ingredient are roasted red peppers and it is commonly used as a

dip or marinade or to add to dishes like stews to add vibrant red colour and heat.

 In fact, this recipe was so exceptionally good that it was repeated over and over, (until we had eaten the last of the marrows!) but is one of the best recipes we have eaten in ages.  So this is a highly versatile recipe!

Utensils

• Large roasting dish
• Chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Bowl for discarded peelings
• Large sauté pan with lid
• Bowl for yogurt and hummus sauce
• Measuring jug
• Measuring spoons

Ingredients

• 400g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
• 400g lamb mince
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, cur into small dice
• 2 tbsp harissa
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp dried mint
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 100ml lamb stock
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• a small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  
   
  If Using Filo Pastry
• 5-6 sheets filo pastry, (depending on size of sheets)
• 50g butter, melted
• 2 tsp black onion seeds

• If Using Shortcrust Pastry for Galette
• Ready bought shortcrust pastry from chilled cabinet.
• Plain flour for dusting the pastry board
• Melted butter for brushing on pastry
• or make your own, as follows

•  350g plain flour
• 125g butter
• 60g parmesan, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons lemon thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped 
• 2 egg yolks
• 50-75 ml water

• If Stuffing a Marrow
• Large fresh Marrow, peeled and cut down lengthways with the pith removed.
• Good chunk of cheddar cheese for grating

Yoghurt hummus sauce

• 200ml natural yogurt
• 200g hummus
• large handful of fresh mint, very finely chopped.

Method

1. Cook the sweet potato in boiling salted water until just tender – keep an eye on it and don’t let it go mushy. Drain really well. 
   
2. Fry the lamb mince in a large non-stick pan until browned and starting to caramelise (you shouldn’t need extra fat as the lamb will have enough).
   
   
3. Add the onion and pepper, put on a lid and cook gently, stirring now and again, for 10 minutes until all the veg has softened. 
   
4. Add the harissa, spices and mint and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
   
   
5. Stir in the flour until it disappears, then add the stock and tomato purée and bubble for a few minutes until the mince is glossy.
   
   
6. Stir in the sweet potato and parsley, season and cool. 
   
7. To assemble the Filo Pie, heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
   
8. Brush the filo with melted butter and overlap 3-4 sheets in the bottom of a metal pie dish approximately 23cm (a cake tin will also work). Tip in the lamb filling and fold in the overhanging filo. Butter and scrunch up the rest of the filo and use to top the pie. Scatter over the onion seeds then bake for 30-35 minutes or until dark golden and crisp. 
   
9. To assemble the Galette, heat the oven, as above, mix the ingredients in a food processor and chill for about 30 mins. 
   
10. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured board into a large circle, then transfer to a parchment covered baking sheet. The best way to do this is to lay the parchment onto the top of the floured rolled pastry and then the baking sheet onto the top of that, and then pull the silicon sheet snugly around the baking sheet, lift and turn it over smartly. You may need to slide the pastry into the centre of the baking try or baking pan.
    
11. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the pastry is golden. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
    
12. To stuff a Marrow: Slice lengthways, remove the pith and peel off the skin - then lay in a deep roasting tin.  Spoon in the mixture (you can freeze any mixture that is left for a future occasion).  Top with grated cheddar, if desired and bake until bubbling and the top is golden and the marrow can be skewered easily.
    
13. To make the yogurt sauce, simply combine the yogurt and hummus together and then stir in a generous handful of fresh mint leaves that have been chopped extremely fine.
    
14. Leave the pie to sit for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving with the yogurt sauce.