Guest chef: Luke Mangan’s spiced lamb empanadas

I don’t think there’s anything more satisfying than a hot, freshly made empanada.

Spiced lamb empanadas with tomato chutney and basil mayo. Picture: Nikki To

I don’t think there’s anything more satisfying than a hot, freshly made empanada. A classic tapas dish, empanadas also make a great bar snack with a glass of Spanish white wine such as albariño.

SPICED LAMB EMPANADAS WITH TOMATO CHUTNEY & BASIL MAYO

4 sheets puff pastry

Plain flour, for dusting

1 free-range egg, lightly beaten

Green tomato chutney, to serve

Lamb filling

Olive oil, for pan-frying

2 French shallots, finely diced

2 teaspoons ras el hanout

2 teaspoons oregano leaves

200g minced (ground) lamb

1 free-range egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons pouring cream

Basil mayonnaise

200g whole-egg mayonnaise

12 basil leaves, thinly sliced

To make filling, heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add shallot; cook for 3-4 minutes. Add ras el hanout (a North African spice blend, from good food stores) and oregano; cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl; leave to cool. Add lamb, egg and cream to bowl; mix and season with salt and pepper. Lay pastry sheets on floured bench. Cut 10 rounds out of each sheet using a coffee mug or glass. Brush rounds with some of the beaten egg. Spoon 1 tablespoon of lamb filling onto each round; fold pastry over to make a half-moon shape and squeeze edges together. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place empanadas on a baking tray; brush each with remaining beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Rest empanadas for 5 minutes. Combine mayonnaise and basil in a bowl and serve with empanadas and chutney. Makes 10

GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

½ teaspoon green cardamom pods

1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ cinnamon stick

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

1.5 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

½ onion, finely chopped

500g green tomatoes, cores removed, finely chopped

½ green apple, peeled, cored and chopped

100g (½ cup) soft brown sugar

45g (¼ cup) raisins

100ml cider vinegar

Crush cardamom seeds, discarding pods. Add seeds to large saucepan; toast for 30 seconds over medium heat. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook for 45 minutes, or until chutney is thick. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and spread chutney on flat tray; place in fridge. Once chilled, spoon into sterilised jars. Will keep in fridge for 3-4 weeks. Makes about 250g

Guest chef Luke Mangan.

Luke Mangan has 19 restaurants in five countries, P&O ships and Virgin Australia business class. Recipes, image from Sharing Plates by Luke Mangan (Murdoch Books, $39.99).