Crispy Moroccan Lamb Pastillas

This recipe is a winner from Jamie Oliver, Its a fab way of using up left over Lamb. I severed it as Sunday lunch (after a roast the previous day) it has a a warm spice taste and with the harissa dipping sauce it has bags of flavour. I had a few pastillias left over so I sent out a food parcel to family who loved them. I would have thought you could also use Chicken with this, although Lamb does has the better flavour which stands up to the Moroccan spices.

Serves 4


Ingredients:

100 g couscous
2 onions
4 cloves of garlic
60 g sultanas
olive oil
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
250 g leftover cooked lamb
70 g feta cheese
4 large sheets of filo pastry
1 tablespoon flaked almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 heaped teaspoon icing sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon harissa
4 tablespoons
Olive Oil


What to do:

Put the couscous in to a small  bowl, just cover  the couscous with boiling water then put a plate on top and leave for 10 minutes. In a frying pan heat up some Olive oil and put the turmeric and cumin, add the garlic and heat for a minute

Handy Tip:

Fry the spices separate to the onions so that you can infuse the oil with the spices i find putting it in all together does not spread the flavours as much as you want.

Now add the onions and cook for around 15 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. Finely shred the lamb, add to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

Fluff up the couscous and stir it through the lamb mixture with the crumbled feta, then season to perfection, going heavy on the black pepper. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

Working fairly quickly, as filo dries out easily, Lay out the pastry sheets on a clean work surface and brush with oil. Divide the lamb mixture between them, laying it along the shortest edge of each sheet. Roll each one up halfway, fold in the sides, then continue rolling up like big cigars. Place them on a non-stick baking tray, brush the tops with a little oil and crumble over the almonds, sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Sieve over the icing sugar and cinnamon from a height, then bake for around 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

 Harissa dipping sauce

Take the yogurt and place in a serving bowl, drizzle a little olive oil in to the yogurt, now spoon the harissa paste and with the back of the spoon ripple the yogurt harrisa and oil. Don't mix together completely as this will make the sauce look not as appetising.

Photos by Matt Grice

Recipe from Jamie Olivers "Save with Jamie"