Greek Diner Meat & Spinach Pot Pies

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon EVOO

  • 2 pounds ground lamb, beef, or chicken (lamb for me, please)

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 2 medium onions, chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or chopped

  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano or marjoram

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped mixed fresh flat-leaf parsley and fresh dill

  • 2 rounded tablespoons flour, plus more for rolling the dough

  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

  • 1 (9- or 10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and wrung dry in a kitchen towel

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed but chilled well

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten with splash of water

  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

If making this to serve on Cook Day, preheat the oven to 400°F. If making this for later in the week, you’ll preheat the oven on the night of.

In a Dutch oven, heat the EVOO (1 turn of the pan) over medium-high heat. Pat the lamb dry and cook, breaking it into crumbles as it browns. Transfer the meat to a plate and pour the fat out of the pan. Melt the butter in the pan. Add the onions, garlic, lemon zest, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook to tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the herbs. Sprinkle with the flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in the stock and cook until slightly thickened. Add the lemon juice and spinach, pulling it into shreds. Return the lamb to the pan and toss to combine.

Make-ahead: Cool and refrigerate.

Night of: Return the filling to room temp before reheating gently over medium-low heat; add a splash of chicken stock if it’s too thick. At the same time, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Flour and lightly roll out the puff pastry. Choose a six 1 1/2- to 2-cup bowls or casseroles to serve the pot pies in. Invert the bowls onto the dough and cut around with a knife to cut pieces to fit the tops. Arrange the pastry on a nonstick baking sheet or parchment paper–lined baking sheet and brush with the egg wash. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Stir the feta into the hot filling. Spoon into the casserole(s). Place the puff pastry top(s) over the filling and serve.