How To Turn A Leftover Leg Of Lamb Into Irresistible Meat Pastries

You've roasted the perfect leg of lamb — it's tender and bursting with flavor from its herbal seasoning — but there's plenty left over. Eating the same thing over and over can get monotonous, but there's no need to waste any of the precious meat. Instead, you can turn your roast lamb into another meal entirely by making savory pastries.

There are several routes you can take: Irish Dingle pie typically features a filling that combines the young sheep's meat with stock, onions, herbs, and root vegetables like carrots and potatoes. Moroccan pastilla (also called bastilla) is often made with lamb mixed with spices like ras el hanout, nuts, and sometimes fruit like apricots or dates. Cut or shred your leftover lamb into small pieces and mix with any aromatic ingredients your heart desires for an amazing pie filling. All it takes is a bit of pastry, regardless of whether you're making a calzone or samosa.

Since the meat is already cooked, keeping the filling tender is key. A little bit of moisture from sauces or condiments like harissa or gravy and even vegetable sides like mashed potatoes can help hold everything together while baking. Lamb's mildly gamey earthiness is ideal for all kinds of fragrant herbs and spices.

Getting the filling right is only half of the battle when making leftover lamb pastries. You'll also need a crust that's tender yet sturdy enough to hold the filling. While Ina Garten approves of buying store-bought dough, you can make it at home, too. 

For savory dishes, the best options are pâte brisée (broken pastry) or pâte feuilletée (puff pastry). Both of these are made from flour, salt, butter, and water, but the way they're mixed and folded creates two different textures. Pâte brisée is brittler and crispier, making it an ideal pie crust. Pâte feuilletée is softer and fluffier, working well for wrapping around the filling, which is why you'll see this kind of dough used for hand pies and beef Wellingtons. If you're making either from scratch, go for all-purpose flour to avoid a too-crumbly crust.

Baking lamb pastries gives leftover meat a new life in all sorts of recipes, and wrapping the protein within a bready shell is too good to resist. Gyros, stews, and curries really are just scratching the surface of what you can do with this versatile meat.