Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 5 g cumin seeds, toasted
- 15 ml rapeseed oil
- 200 g red onion, finely chopped
- 6 garlic, crushed
- 3 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
- 75 g red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 3 g ground mace
- 4 g ground coriander
- 1000 g ground lamb
- 3 g white pepper, freshly ground
- 9 g cilantro, chopped
- 5 g salt
Hot Water Pastry
- 340 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g salt
- 90 ml milk
- 150 g lard, cubed
- 90 ml water
- 1 egg yolk, beaten
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 978 kcal
- Protein
- 49 g
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Fat
- 63 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 732 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 24 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 28 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 219 mg
- Potassium
- 795 mg
- Calcium
- 97 mg
- Iron
- 6.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 68 mg
- Phosphorus
- 450 mg
- Zinc
- 8.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 73 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 38 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 13 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 4.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.67 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.78 mg
- Niacin
- 14.8 mg
- Folate
- 155 mcg
- Water
- 178 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Toast cumin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Heat oil in the pan and sauté red onion, garlic, chilies, and red pepper with a pinch of salt for 8 minutes until moisture evaporates.
Stir the toasted cumin, ground mace, and ground coriander into the vegetable mixture, then remove from heat to cool.
Mix the ground lamb, white pepper, chopped cilantro, and the cooled vegetable mixture in a large bowl until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and grease the 20cm cake tin with lard.
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and create a well in the center.
Combine milk, lard, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Pour the boiling liquid into the flour well and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms and is cool enough to touch.
Knead the warm dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and pliable.
Divide the dough, reserving one-third for the lid. Roll out the larger piece and line the prepared tin, leaving a slight overhang.
Transfer the lamb filling into the pastry-lined tin, mounding it slightly in the center.
Roll out the remaining dough, place it over the filling, and crimp the edges to seal. Cut a hole in the center and insert a small foil tube.
Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg yolk.
Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 30 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 160°C (325°F) and bake for another 75 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the internal lamb temperature is 74°C (165°F).
Cool the pie completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before removing from the tin and serving.
Chef's Notes
- The foil tube is essential to act as a chimney, preventing steam from making the pastry soggy.
- Ensure the lamb is seasoned well; the flavors will mellow slightly after the long bake and chill.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap tightly in foil and plastic wrap.
Reheating: Reheat in oven at 180°C (350°F) until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
Troubleshooting
Pastry cracks or breaks while lining the tin
Cause: The dough has cooled down too much and lost its elasticity
Fix: Patch cracks with small pieces of excess dough dampened with water
Prevention: Work quickly while the dough is still warm from the boiling liquid
Cultural Context
The Scotch Pie is a staple of Scottish cuisine, traditionally sold at football matches and local bakeries. While usually made as individual small pies, this version uses a larger format suitable for a family meal.
