Apricots, cilantro and warm spices make this a fantastic special occasion dinner, perfect for Valentine’s Day or an Olympic celebration.

• 1 Tbsp (15mL) olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb (500g) ground lamb
• ½ tsp (3mL) cloves
• 1 tsp (5mL) nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp (15mL) ground cinnamon
• 1 piece cinnamon stick (about 3 inches or 8cm)
• 6 cardamom pods
• 1 carrot, chopped fine
• 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces
• 1½ cup (375mL) beef or vegetable stock
• 1 cup (250mL) dried apricots, quartered
• 2 bunches cilantro, chopped
• ½ tsp (3mL) salt or to taste
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup (60mL) butter, melted
• 12 sheets filo pastry

Heat oil in a large pot and cook onions until soft and golden. Add garlic and lamb, stirring and breaking up the meat into small pieces. Add spices and cook until the lamb is no longer pink.

Add the carrots and potatoes, stirring for a minute or two. Then add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 20–30 minutes, until the carrots and potatoes are soft. Add the apricots, cilantro, lemon juice, and salt to taste and stir well. Let simmer on low heat, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Heat oven to 400ºF.

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Fold 2 leaves of filo pastry in half, brushing with butter, and place side by side on a baking sheet. Bake for about two minutes, until light brown and crispy.

Lightly brush a baking sheet with butter. Then place a new sheet of filo so that half of it is on the baking sheet and half extends over the side. Brush with melted butter and arrange the next filo sheet so that it partly overlaps the first sheet and also extends over the side. Brush this with butter too. Continue fanning the filo leaves out from the centre until you have used 8 leaves, each brushed with butter. Put the two folded sheets from the oven over the centre.

Retrieve the cinnamon stick from the lamb mixture, and the cardamom pods if you wish (however, there’s an amazing flavour burst when a cardamom pod crushes between your teeth). Spoon the lamb onto the centre of the pie and gently begin covering it with the filo layers, brushing each sheet with melted butter as you fold it back into the centre. Use the remaining 2 sheets of filo to cover the pie, making a neat, smooth top. Brush with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 30–40 minutes, until golden brown and flaky.

Cut into wedges. Serves four.