A true classic never goes out of style and after 66 years Roodeberg red wine is still a firm favourite on South African dinner tables. Experience the rich aroma and taste of delicious summer berries, with hints of spicy oak flavours. It’s perfect on its own and unforgettably wonderful when paired with flavoursome chicken as well as red-meat dishes.
Lamb-shank pie
Serves 6
- 3 lamb shanks
- 2 large onions, roughly chopped
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 250ml Roodeberg red wine
- 450ml beef stock
- 400g or 2 cups canned tomatoes, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- plain flour, for dusting
- 200g frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 2 egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water
- Preheat the oven to 190°C.
- Combine the lamb shanks, onions, garlic, herbs, Roodeberg red wine, stock, tomatoes and salt and pepper in a large heatproof dish.
- Cover the dish with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 150°C and cook for a further 3 to 4 hours or until the lamb shanks are meltingly tender and falling away from the bone.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C.
- Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat from two of the lamb shanks and spoon it into a 20cm pie dish.
- Using a slotted spoon, spoon the onion mixture and 2 to 3 cups of the cooking juices into the pie dish, mixing them with the shredded meat. Position the remaining lamb shank upright in the centre, on a bed of the filling.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a round shape, about 1cm thick and 23cm in diameter.
- Lift the pastry onto the pie dish, skewering it in the middle with the exposed shank bone. Cover the dish with the pastry, pressing the edges on the rim to seal it. Brush the top with the egg-yolk wash.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and puffy.
- Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
