This savoury lamb mince tart is a great dish to share with family/friends. Filled with fragrant spices, toasted pinenuts and some peppery rocket salad it's got all the good things to keep the family from starving 😉
sponsored by Thorn-Clarke Wines, Barossa
Smashed Squash
For this, we don't want to puree the squash. I like to use a potato masher or fork to do the squash so we leave it with a little texture and it isn't so runny. I find if it's too liquidy then the base of the lamb mince tart will be a little soggy.
The key to success when making roast vegetables, a vegetable puree or mashed vegetables is even-sized cuts. Make sure you cut the pieces of vegetables the same size. If some are too large or too small then they won't cook evenly and you will have some mushy bits, some perfect bits and some raw bits.
Once diced, sprinkle with a little oil, salt and smoked paprika and roast in the oven - you can do this at the same time you are blind baking the pastry - simple! Once firk tender use either a fork or masher to squash them up
Cooking Lamb Mince
Easy you might say - I've been cooking mince all my life! True, but here the goal is to caramelize the mince without burning it or the onions.
Start by getting your ingredients ready - sliced onions, spices, oil, mince and a non-stick pan. On low to medium heat cook the onions for approx 2 minutes in a little olive oil. Next, add the lamb mince & spices. Cook on low heat for approx 15 minutes or until the mince has caramelized. Nearly all the liquid will have evaporated leaving you with beautiful sticky lamb mince. Just make sure to stir regularly so it doesn't burn!
Thorn Clarke Winery
Thorn Clarke wines have a rich history - literally! Back in the late 1800s, the family split in two directions. One side focused on fruit and vines which help nurture some of the oldest vines in Barossa whereas the other half went and discovered Barossas first gold mine. If ever there were two things needed to start and grow a winery its money and great vines. Luckily, 100 years later that dream came true when the family joined forces.
Wine isn't just about those two things though. It also requires an incredible amount of hard work, time, copious amounts of energy and being surrounded by a good team - not to mention a little luck from the weather gods! Well, the 1998 vintage proved to be the one that set the Thorn-Clarke revolution well on its way - shiraz was born!
Since then, they have gone on to make multiple great award-winning wines whilst hosting many a visitor at their beautiful Cellar door in Angaston. With beautiful panoramic views, local produce on offer to enjoy in the gardens and even a driving range to practice your swing at it's definitely one to add to the "must visit" list when in South Australia!
Lamb Tart Wine Pairing
It's gotta be a delicious Thorn-Clarke number! When people think Barossa they usually think Shiraz first but these days Grenache is definitely climbing the ladder and rightly so. A bit softer, with tons of red fruit and spice notes, it's a varietal that is filling up my wine fridges quickly!
The Thorn-Clarke "varietal" collection is a new collection of wines just recently launched. I was fortunate enough to taste the pinot gris, shiraz & grenache. Knowing I had this lamb mince tartlet idea in the back of my mind I knew it would be perfect to drink with the Thorn-Clarke Grenache.
Made from parcels of vines 70-90 years old there is class and sophistication in this wine. Medium-bodied, bright strawberry and cherry notes, some earthy undertones and gentle spice notes pair beautifully with the spice notes in the savoury lamb mince.
Coming in at $30 a bottle for a wine rated 93pts from James Suckling I can't recommend it enough - I could drink this by the glass myself or alongside any grilled foods or spiced meats.
Alternative Lamb Recipes
Inspired by my savoury lamb mince tarts and need more lamb dishes in your life? Then check out these beauts below and get the creative juices flowing!
Lamb Mince Ragu by Yours Truly
Irish Stout Beer-Braised Lamb Pie by Taylor Murray Woodworth of 'Food Worth Feed'
Grilled Lamb Kebabs by Yours Truly
Lamb Rogan Josh by Shilpa Kerur of 'Spicy Tamarind'
Slow-Cooked Moroccan Lamb by Yours Truly
Lamb Tagine w/ Apricots by Beth Sachs of 'Effortless Foodie'
Ingredients
- 500 g lamb mince
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp oregano
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 red onion
- 2 tbsp oil
Squash
- 300 g butternut squash
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp oil
Other
- 10 g feta cheese
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- 1 egg - beaten
- 2 tbsp pinenuts
- rocket
Essential Tools
- Chef Knives
- Chopping board
- measuring/weighing utensils
- baking tray
- Baking paper
- frying pan
- wooden spoon/spatula
Instructions
- Dice squash, drizzle with oil, salt & paprika and roast @ 180c for 12-15 minutes or until it’s fork tender. Once cooked, roughly mash with a fork or potato masher
- Toast pinenuts in dry frying pan and set aside once cooked
- Lay out the puff pastry and cut each piece into 4 equal sized pieces
- Place the smashed squash onto the puff pastry leaving a 2 cm gap from the edge. Crimp/fold/squish the edges up (don’t worry about it looking pretty) just covering the squash, brush with beaten egg over the edges and bake in the oven for approx. 20 minutes @ 180c or until brown and crispy
- Meanwhile, slice onions and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat with olive oil, add lamb mince and spices and cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly until the lamb is crispy/caramelized
- Place some of the cooked lamb onto the tartlet, top with feta, pinenuts and some rocket
Notes
Tips/Tricks
- you can make larger tartlets using whole sheets of puff pastry or just cutting them in ½ instead
- I like to caramelize my lamb so it’s sticky and crispy and add it at the end. Alternatively, you can cook it just for 10 minutes and add the lamb at the same time as the squash to the tartlet
- these are best served/eaten fresh but you can reheat them in the oven for a few mins to crisp them back up if you have leftovers
Leave a Reply