Spicy Scotch Lamb Pastries

How it's done:

• 1
  PREPARATION:
• 2
  You can prepare the pies uncooked up to 2 days in advance of serving. Simply keep them covered in the fridge until ready to cook and serve.
• 3
  Toast pine nuts easily by heating a dry frying pan until hot, then adding the nuts and allowing them to toast in the pan for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Cool on kitchen paper.
• 4
  Filo pastry dries out quickly, so keep the sheets you are waiting to use covered with damp kitchen paper in order to keep them pliable.
• 5
  METHOD:
• 6
  Put the lamb, all but 1tbsp pine nuts, garlic and spices into a bowl. Mix well and season lightly. Mix in the mint sauce. Divide into 12 portions and form each into a 5cm patty. Leave to the side.
• 7
  Work with one filo sheet of pastry at a time, brushing each one lightly with oil all over.
• 8
  From one of the shorter sides, fold up the bottom third of the pastry and then fold the top third down. Brush with oil and cut into 3 even-sized pieces. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets.
• 9
  Place a lamb patty into the centre of each, bring up the sides and scrunch to make a rough case around the filling, leaving the top open. Cover and chill until ready to cook.
• 10
  Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan oven/gas 6. Arrange the pies on a large lined baking tray. Brush the pastry with any remaining oil and bake for 25 minutes until golden - the meat juices will run clear when the lamb is cooked through.
• 11
  Serve the pastries hot or warm, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, the remaining pine nuts and fresh mint.