Lamb and potato-topped pies

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

600g lamb, diced into 2cm pieces

2 tbsp plain flour

1/2 cup red wine

1 can tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 bay leaves

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

4 royal blue potatoes, peeled, roughly chopped

1/3 cup cream

40g butter

2 sheets short-crust pastry, thawed

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion has softened. Add the lamb and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until brown. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer. Add the tomato, tomato paste and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lamb is tender and the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves. Cool. Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until tender when pierced with a skewer. Remove from heat. Drain and mash. Add the cream and butter and stir until the mash is smooth. Season with salt. Use a 12-diameter round pastry cutter to cut four discs from the pastry. Line four 3cm-deep, round pie tins with pastry and trim excess. Place on a baking tray in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest. Preheat oven to 200C. Cover pastry bases with non-stick baking paper and fill with uncooked rice. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove paper and rice. Bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked through. Spoon the lamb mixture among the four pastry cases. Top each pie with the mashed potato and place back in the oven for a further 15 minutes. Once the potato is golden, serve.