Charred flatbreads with spiced lamb stew
A sweet, spiced lamb stew that's meltingly tender, with homemade flatbreads for dipping.
Ingredients
For the flatbreads
- 400g/14oz strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100g/3½oz semolina flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp dried yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- oil, for greasing and drizzling
- polenta, for dusting
For the lamb stew
- 100ml/3½fl oz olive oil
- 2 large red onions, sliced
- 800g/1lb 12oz lamb mince
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 250ml/9fl oz white wine
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400g tin cherry tomatoes, crushed
- 4 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
- 4 tbsp golden raisins, soaked in jasmine tea (1 teabag in a mug of hot water) and drained
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 8 fresh flatleaf parsley sprigs, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- 8 tbsp tinned artichoke hearts in oil, cut into segments
- 200g/7oz feta, crumbled
- 16 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 handfuls rocket
- 1 lemon, cut into quarters
- 6 spring onions, trimmed and very thinly sliced
- 8 fresh mint sprigs, leaves picked
Method
To make the flatbreads, mix all the ingredients and 375ml/13fl oz water in a food processor with a dough hook for 15 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough is formed. Divide into four even balls and fold in on themselves on an oiled work surface to create a tight ball. Leave to rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge on an oiled tray covered with oiled cling film.
Roll out each ball on a lightly floured work surface to 8mm/½in thickness, then place on a baking tray lined with baking paper that is dusted with polenta. Cover again with oiled cling film and leave to prove for 30 minutes. Drizzle the flatbreads lightly with oil then cook on a hot griddle pan for 1 minute on each side until puffy, slightly charred and cooked through.
Meanwhile, to make the lamb stew, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Fry until golden. Heat the remaining oil in an ovenproof casserole dish, add the lamb mince and season with salt and pepper. Fry until golden. Add the onions to the lamb and then add the garlic.
Crush the cumin, fennel and peppercorns in a pestle and mortar. Add to the lamb mixture with the cinnamon and bay leaf and cook for another minute to toast the spices. Stir in the flour, then add the wine and bring just to the boil. Scrape up any sediment on the base of the pan. Add the tomato purée, tomatoes and 400ml/14fl oz water, season with salt and pepper and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and mix in the pine nuts, raisins, oregano and parsley.
Spoon the spiced lamb stew over the flatbreads, then scatter over the remaining ingredients to serve.
