Panada di Agnello e Patate alla Sarda

Ingredients

• For the semolina pastry
• 500 g semolina flour (semola rimacinata)
• 150 g lard, cold, cut into pieces
• 200 ml warm water, added gradually
• 1 tsp fine salt
• For the filling
• 800 g lamb shoulder or leg, bone-in, cut into large pieces
• 400 g waxy potatoes, peeled, sliced 5 mm thick
• 0.5 g saffron threads, bloomed in 3 tbsp warm water for 15 minutes
• 80 g lard, cut into small cubes
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 black pepper, freshly ground, to season

Method

1. 1
   Combine the semolina flour and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the cold lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add warm water gradually, working the dough until it is firm, smooth and pliable — it must hold its shape under pressure without cracking. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. The dough is ready when it no longer springs back when pressed.
2. 2
   Place the saffron threads in 3 tablespoons of warm water and leave for 15 minutes. The water will turn a deep amber-gold — this is the visual confirmation that the saffron has fully bloomed and will colour the filling evenly.
3. 3
   Season the bone-in lamb pieces with salt and pepper. Divide the rested dough into two portions, one slightly larger than the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger portion into a round sheet approximately 5 mm thick and large enough to line a round baking dish or free-form dome on a lined tray, with overhang. Roll the smaller portion for the lid.
4. 4
   Lay the base sheet into position. Layer the filling tightly: begin with half the potato slices, then the bone-in lamb pieces, the lard cubes distributed evenly among the meat, then the remaining potato. Pour the saffron-steeped water over the entire filling. There must be no air gaps — press the layers firmly so the dome holds its shape and does not collapse inward during baking.
5. 5
   This is where the dish lives or dies: lay the pastry lid over the filling and crimp the edges of base and lid together with firm, overlapping folds, pressing hard to form a complete seal with no gaps or thin points. Pierce one small steam hole at the crown of the dome with a skewer. Any breach in the seal beyond this controlled vent will allow the juices to escape, leaving the lamb dry and the pastry collapsed.
6. 6
   Place the sealed pie in an oven preheated to 160 °C. Bake for 90 minutes. Do not open the oven during baking. After 90 minutes, the pastry will be a deep golden-amber and firm to a light tap — the sound should be hollow, indicating the interior has contracted away from the crust as the filling has braised in its own steam.
7. 7
   Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before bringing to the table whole. Break the pastry open at the table with a knife — the rush of saffron-scented steam is the confirmation that the sealed environment held throughout baking. The lamb inside should be falling from the bone in its own amber, gelatinous juices, and the potato slices will have absorbed the lamb fat and saffron completely.