Potato Cakes Stuffed With Lamb and Pine Nuts

Sackville's Note:

This recipe comes from a recent magazine feature on the owners of Moro, a famous Spanish restaurant in London, England. I haven't tried it but the picture sure made it look good.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 cakes

For the potato dough

• 700 g potatoes , skins on
• 1 tablespoon flour , plus
• extra flour , for dusting
• salt

For the lamb filling

• 25 g butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion , finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cardamom pods , seeds only,ground to a powder (optional)
• 200 g finely minced lamb
• 50 g pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼-1⁄3; cup oil , for frying

To garnish

• 200 g Greek yogurt , thinned with
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 clove garlic , crushed with
• salt

Directions:

1. Start by making the dough.
2. Boil the potatoes whole until cooked but not mushy.
3. Drain well for 10 minutes and then, while they are still warm, peel and mash.
4. Stir in the flour and season with salt.
5. Set aside.
6. Meanwhile, make the filling by melting the butter and olive oil together in a pan over a medium-high heat.
7. Add the onion and cook until it is nice and soft, then add all the spices and cook for a further minute.
8. Add the lamb and cook for 5-8 minutes until nicely browned.
9. Stir in the pine nuts, tomato puree, water and the parsley.
10. Season with salt and pepper and set aside until cool enough to handle.
11. To prepare the potato cakes, first wash and dry your hands, then flour them.
12. Divide the dough into 4 balls.
13. On a well floured surface, flatten one ball to a disc about 1 cm thick.
14. Put 2 tbsp of filling in the centre and bring up the sides of the dough to enclose the meat.
15. Place on a floured surface, neaten the shape of the cake and patch up any cracks.
16. You should get a patty about 10 cm across and 3-4 cm thick.
17. Repeat with the other dough balls.
18. At this point, you can keep the cakes in the fridge for 1-2 days-- just make sure there's enough flour to keep them from sticking-- but the fresher the better.
19. Cover the bottom of a large frying pan with oil 3-4 mm deep and place over a medium to high heat until nearly smoking.
20. Gently lift up the cakes and lower into the oil one by one.
21. Do not turn until they are dark, golden and crispy.
22. Fry the other side, dab off any extra oil and keep warm in a low oven.
23. Mix together the yogurt with the garlic and salt.
24. Serve with a salad and the yogurt as a garnish.