Lamb Shank Hand Pies with Onions and Rosemary

Shanks usually go straight to bowls and braises, but they make extraordinary hand-pie filling once the meat is cooked down properly. Rosemary and onions keep the flavor rooted while the crust makes the dish feel fresh again.

3 lamb shanks
2 onions
2 rosemary sprigs
1 carrot
1 package pie dough
1 egg
2 cups stock
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Brown the shanks in a heavy pot, then braise them with onion, carrot, rosemary, and stock until the meat falls from the bone, about 2 1/2 hours.
Strain the liquid, reduce it until glossy, and mix enough of it back into the shredded lamb to make a rich filling.
Cool the filling completely before assembling the pastries.
Fill pastry rounds, crimp well, brush with egg wash, and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the crust is dark gold.
Rest 5 minutes before serving so the filling settles instead of spilling out.

Chilling the filling overnight makes the pies easier to assemble cleanly.