These are hand-held puff pastry pies filled with spiced ground lamb and chickpeas — cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and a little cayenne in every bite. They take about 75 minutes start to finish and make six generously sized pies. Make a full batch on Sunday and you have lunches or quick dinners sorted for several days.
What makes this version work
Two things matter here. First, cook the spices in the oil with the onion and garlic before the lamb goes in. Thirty seconds to two minutes of heat blooms the cumin and coriander and gets rid of the raw, dusty edge they can carry — skip this step and the filling tastes flat. Second, let the filling cool for at least 10 minutes before you spoon it onto the pastry. Hot filling softens puff pastry from the inside before it even hits the oven, and you end up with a soggy base instead of a crisp one. Both steps cost you almost no extra time and make a real difference to the finished pie.
Shopping notes
- Ground lamb: Grass-fed has a stronger, more distinctive flavor that holds up well against the spices. Grain-fed works fine and is milder. Either way, look for a fat content around 15–20% — leaner lamb can dry out during the extra cook time.
- Smoked paprika: Regular sweet paprika will not give you the same result. The smoked variety is what adds depth to the filling. It is widely available in most supermarkets now, usually near the regular paprika.
- Puff pastry: One standard package (typically around 17 oz / 500 g) gives you enough for 12 rectangles. All-butter puff pastry browns better and tastes richer, but any brand works.
- Chickpeas: Canned and drained is completely fine here. No need to cook dried chickpeas from scratch for this recipe.
Troubleshooting
- Filling is watery and the pastry leaks: The lamb released too much liquid and it was not cooked off. After adding the chickpeas and tomato paste, keep the heat at medium and stir until there is no pooling liquid in the pan before you take it off the heat. A wet filling will burst the seams.
- Pies burst open at the edges during baking: The seal was not firm enough. Press the fork tines down hard along the full edge — a light crimp will open under oven heat. Also make sure you are not overfilling; a heaped tablespoon or so per pie is enough.
- Pastry is pale and soft on the bottom: The baking sheet was too thick or the oven was not fully preheated. Use a dark or thin metal sheet, place it on a lower rack, and make sure the oven has reached 200°C / 390°F before the pies go in.
- Lamb is still pink inside after the pastry is golden: Ground lamb must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). If the pastry is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil and give the pies another 5 minutes. A quick-read thermometer through the side seam will confirm doneness.
- Pies stick to the parchment when reheating: Reheat on a wire rack set over a baking sheet rather than directly on the tray. This keeps the base crisp and stops the pastry from steaming itself soft. Ten minutes at 180°C / 355°F is enough from refrigerator temperature — skip the microwave, which turns the pastry chewy.
Minced Lamb and Chickpea Hornado Pies
Ingredients
Pie Filling
2 cups ground lamb (minced lamb) - preferably grass-fed
1 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans) - drained, cooked
1 medium onion - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
0.5 teaspoon paprika - smoked for extra depth
0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt - or to taste
0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper - freshly ground
Pastry
- 1 package puff pastry - thawed, if frozen
1 large egg - beaten, for egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
- In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, around 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, and cayenne. Stir until aromatic, about 1-2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the minced lamb. Cook until browned, breaking the meat apart with a spatula, about 7 minutes.
- Stir in the chickpeas and tomato paste, ensuring everything is well combined. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface and cut into 12 equal rectangles.
- Spoon the lamb and chickpea mixture onto one half of each rectangle, leaving room around the edges.
- Brush the edges with beaten egg. Fold over the pastry to enclose the filling and press edges to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges for a decorative finish.
- Place the pies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with remaining egg wash.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let the pies cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I make these pies ahead and freeze them?
Yes — freeze them either baked or unbaked, and both work well. For unbaked, assemble the pies, place them on a parchment-lined tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-lock bag. Bake from frozen at 200°C / 390°F for 30–35 minutes. For baked pies, cool completely before freezing and reheat in the oven at 180°C / 355°F for about 15 minutes.
Can I use a different protein instead of ground lamb?
Ground beef is the most straightforward swap and works well with the same spice mix. Ground turkey also works but must reach 165°F (74°C) internally — check with a thermometer since it cooks faster than lamb and can dry out if you are not watching it.
How do I store leftovers and how long do they keep?
Baked pies keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven rather than the microwave to keep the pastry from going soft — 10 minutes at 180°C / 355°F is enough. They are also perfectly good cold straight from the fridge, which makes them a solid packed lunch option.
My puff pastry keeps tearing when I fold it. What am I doing wrong?
The pastry is probably too cold or too warm — both cause tearing. It should be pliable but still cool to the touch, roughly 10–15 minutes out of the refrigerator. If it tears, press the gap together firmly with your fingers and seal with a little egg wash; it will hold during baking.
More mince recipes to try
- Savory Lebanese Lamb Pastries
- Moroccan Lamb Apricot Briouats
- Gourmet Lamb Sausage Rolls
- Savory Beef Carrot Turnovers
