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Arniopita (Greek Lamb & Potato Pie) with Leftovers

Arniopita (Greek Lamb & Potato Pie) with Leftovers

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Arniopita is a Greek Lamb Pie I made with yeasted dough, filled with leftover roasted lamb with potatoes, corn and thickened with a bechamel sauce.

Arniopita, leftover lamb pie image

Easter is just around the corner and in Greece we usually eat lamb during Easter.

The Greek tradition is to roast a whole lamb on the spit and there are always some leftovers.

Usually we love to eat our leftover lamb the next day. We just heat it up, make a salad and eat the leftovers.

What can you do with your leftover lamb?

However, what if you still have leftovers even after eating some the next day.

Well, it all depends on how much there is leftover.

The easiest way to use it is to make a Bulgur Pilaf and add the meat to the pilaf.

Bulgur pilaf image

Another way is to cut the meat into thin slices and put it in a pita with tzatziki and some salad and make lamb gyros.

lamb gyros image

Of course, if there is a lot of leftover meat (and even potatoes) the best way to use it is to make Arniopita (arni in Greek means lamb), which is a lamb pie.

This is what I did recently. When I went to the supermarket to buy provisions for a week due to the new threat we are all facing, lamb was on sale.

As my daughter’s birthday was in a few days and I know she likes lamb, I bought two legs of lamb.

I was planning to invite my son and his girlfriend who live together to come and eat with us.

Unfortunately due to the restrictions imposed on us due to the virus, they decided that it was wiser not to come over.

Well, as I had already put the lamb in the freezer so I had to cook it all.

I made Lamb Psito (Greek roasted lamb with potatoes, olive oil, lemon juice and oregano).

Leftover lamb with potatoes image

How I made the Arniopita

I hadn’t made a lamb pie for a long time, probably since last Easter, so since I had a lot of free time, this time I decided to make the dough from scratch.

Dough:

I decided to make the dough with yeast same way I make it for pizza.

I prepared the dough and let it rise. I then divided it into six pieces which I rolled into thin phyllo.

Filling

I then cut the meat into very small pieces, making sure to remove any visible fat.

There were some leftover potatoes as well. They were more than I needed, so I cut a few into smaller pieces and added them to the meat.

I also prepared some béchamel sauce which I used as the binding agent for the meat to hold together.

I sautéd an onion and garlic, added the meat and potatoes and some leftover cheese from the bechamel which I also added.

The only vegetables I had at home was some frozen corn which I added to the meat. (You can also add some frozen peas and grated carrots).

I then deglazed the meat with some dry white wine and cooked it until all the liquid was absorbed.

Finely I also add some dill to the meat and when the meat cooled, I mixed in the bechamel.

The spices I used was salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. These spices pair well with lamb. Of course, if you don’t like any of the spices, you can add your own favourite spices.

To assemble the Arniopita (lamb pie)

I kneaded the dough for a few minutes to deflate it and cut it into six equal pieces. 

I rolled each piece into a disc, about 2 cm thick and added some filling in the centre.  

I then folded the two opposite sides of each disc on top of the filling but without covering the filling.

I then folded the remaining opposite sides in the same manner. (You are basically creating a nest for the filling).

I covered them with a napkin and let them rise again. When rising you can see that they expand revealing the centre.

This way the steam is released without making the phyllo dough soggy.

Meat pies after rising image

I then added some egg wash on top and baked the pies in a preheated oven until golden on top.

Adding egg wash on pie image

You can eat them as a main dish with some salad or as a snack.

Arniopita, lamb pie picture
Arniopita, leftover lamb pie image

Arniopita (Greek Lamb Pie)

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Arniopita is a Greek Lamb Pie I made with yeasted dough, filled with leftover roasted lamb with potatoes, corn and thickened with a bechamel sauce.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 300 grams white bread flour
  • 200 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 x 8 grams dried yeast sachet
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 300 ml lukewarm water

Béchamel sauce:

  • 50 grams olive oil
  • 50 grams all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ tsp salt
  • A pinch of nutmeg
  • ½ cup graviera cheese

For the filling:

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups leftover lamb, finely chopped
  • 1 cup potatoes, finely chopped
  • ½ cup frozen corn
  • Salt, pepper, oregano, cumin,
  • 1 cup white dry wine
  • ¼ cup dill

Egg wash:

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp milk

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough and set aside to rise.
  2. Cut the meat into very small pieces, removing any visible fat.
  3. Cut the potatoes into small pieces and add them to the meat.
  4. Prepare the béchamel sauce and set aside to cool.
  5. Sauté the onion until translucent.
  6. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds, until fragrant.
  7. Add the meat and the potatoes.
  8. Add the corn and mix.
  9. Add the wine and spices and cook until the alcohol evaporates.
  10. Lower heat and cook until there is no liquid.
  11. Finally add the dill mix.
  12. Set aside to cool and mix in the béchamel sauce.
  13. Knead the dough for a few minutes and cut it into six equal pieces 
  14. Form each piece into a round disc  Flour your work surface and roll out until about 2 cm thick.
  15. Add 1/6th of the filling in the centre.
  16. Fold the 2 opposite sides of each disc inwards but do not completely cover the filling.
  17. Then fold the remaining opposite sides in the same manner.
  18. Use a fork to press] down on the corners to seal the filling.
  19. Cover with a napkin and let them rise again.
  20. Beat the egg yolk with the milk and brush the meat pies.
  21. Preheat the oven to 180o C and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden on top.
  22. Serve with some salad as a main dish.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 954Total Fat 47gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 30gCholesterol 183mgSodium 667mgCarbohydrates 86gFiber 4gSugar 3gProtein 39g

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Tag me @ivyliac and use the hashtag #kopiaste!

Lamb Recipes

Although people believe that in Greece we eat a lot of lamb, that is not really true. Lamb is the last in our meat recipes but I do have a few to share with you.

Collage Arniopita, lamb pie image

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

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