Lamb cupcakes

170g plain flour

85g baking fat/block

1 onion

100g lean lamb mince

220g can of chopped tomatoes

1x 5ml spoon tomato purée

450g ready prepared mashed potato

25g reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

8-10 large paper cake cases plus extra for baking blind

Large mixing bowl, measuring spoons, muffin tin, rolling pin, 10cm pastry cutter, greaseproof paper or extra muffin cases, baking beans or dried rice/pasta, cooling rack, vegetable knife, chopping board, small saucepan, heat-resistant spoon, baking tray, piping bag, fluted nozzle.

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C, Gas Mark 4.

2. Make the shortcrust pastry:

• sieve the flour into a mixing bowl;
• rub the fat into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs;
• add 3x15ml spoon cold water and mix to a firm smooth dough.

3. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cases.

4. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Cut 8 x 10cm diameter discs of pastry.

5. Gently push a round of pastry into each paper muffin case. Line each pastry case with some greaseproof paper, or spare muffin cases, and baking beans or dried rice/pasta.

6. Bake the pastry cases blind for 15 – 20 minutes.

7. When cooked, remove the cases from the oven and carefully take out the paper and beans from each case. Allow the cases to cool slightly before lifting them out of the muffin tin.

8. Peel and dice the onion finely.

9. Place the mince and onion in a small saucepan and dry fry until the meat is brown. The meat will cook in its own juices. Wash and dry hands thoroughly after touching the raw meat.

10. Add the canned tomatoes and tomato purée to the mince. Stir well; reduce the heat and leave to cook for about 10 minutes. Then allow to cool a little.

11. Place the baked pastry cases on a baking tray and fill with the mince mixture.

12. Place the potato in a piping bag with a fluted nozzle and decorate the top of each cupcake with piped potato. Grate the cheese and sprinkle on top.

• If short of time, use ready-made shortcrust pastry.
• Warm the mashed potato in a microwave oven before using if it is too cold to pipe easily.
• Serving suggestion: Decorate with finely chopped tomato and spring onions before serving.
• Food skills: Check out our food skills videos to help understand the key skills used in this recipe. 

Be ingredient aware!

Check for any food allergy, intolerance, special dietary requirement or religious/cultural reasons for not handling or eating the ingredients in this recipe. 

You may need to modify the recipe accordingly. For example, if following a vegan or vegetarian diet, use a meat alternative. For those with an allergy to gluten, use a gluten-free flour. Always check food labels for allergens, and suitability for vegetarians and vegans.

For full guidance and up-to-date information on the 14 allergens, please visit the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website. 
  

Nutritional information

This recipe makes 8 portions based on portion size guidance for 11-18 year olds , if serving to younger children then they may require a smaller portion and if serving to adults, they may require a bit more. 

Why not use the Explore Food calculator, the British Nutrition Foundation's free online nutritional analysis programme, to calculate the nutritional information for other recipes?