Pork Hand Pies with mismatched pictures

Make the filling:

Mix filling pork, salt, pepper, scallion, garlic, celery and any optional additions in a medium bowl. I use my clean hands, but you can use a wooden spoon. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F/180C

Line a large, heavy baking sheet with parchment paper, a silpat, or tinfoil.

Make the dough:

in a large bowl, mix the flour, water, and salt.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead until it coheres. You may need to add more flour or water, depending on the weather, your flour, and your kitchen. The dough should be soft and pliable without being sticky.

Using a sharp knife or bench cutter, cut dough into eight pieces. Roll into eight rough balls.

Let them rest for a few mintues while you wash up.

Assemble the pies:

Using a rolling pin, roll each ball out to about five inches/12cm. Aim for a roughly oval shape.

Using a two-tablespoon measure, place a mound of filling on the lower half of the dough oval, leaving about 1/4 inch/.60 cm clear edge all around.

Fold the dough over and pinch shut firmly. Transfer to the baking sheet.

Once all your pies are on the baking sheet, place it in the oven and bake about 25 minutes.

You can flip the pies over at half-time, or you can just leave them be. They’re ready when dough browns lightly and is crisp to the touch. If you aren’t sure, cut one open to see if filling is cooked through.

Give the pies a moment, then peel carefully off the foil. Use oven mitts, as hand pies are very hot and stay that way for some time; please warn your diners.

Pork hand pies are lovely by themselves. You may also serve them alongside salsa, yogurt sauce, or sour cream. With salad and/or soup, they’re a meal.

Pork hand pies keep, refrigerated in a lidded container, up to four days. Reheat in low oven or toaster oven.

You can freeze baked pork pies, but it’s better to freeze them unbaked. Once you’ve formed the pies and laid them on the baking tray, slide the tray into your freezer for about an hour, then remove the pies, wrap them in foil or place them in a ziploc-style freezer bag. They’ll be good for about two months. To bake, place in 350F/180C oven and bake from frozen, allowing about ten minutes extra baking time.

Notes:

I learned recenty that celery may be frozen. It does wilt, making it useless for salad, but it’s great for cooked applications.

After lining baking trays with foil, baking parchment, butter, and nonstick cooking spray, I recommend using foil.

Note: you want two tablespoons filling per pie.

Hand pie filling alternatives:

Ground or finely chopped chicken or beef. If you are using cooked meat, make smaller pies and check them after 15 minutes. Otherwise you risk a dry filling.

Make meatless pies using mashed potato or any combination of greens. For mashed potato, bear in mind it’s difficult to find the perfectly sized potato, but who complains about leftover mash?

Season the potato rather highly; I used sumac, a pinch of ground red pepper, salt, black pepper, a minced scallion, and a finely grated garlic clove. For the liquid element, creme fraiche, milk, sour cream, and/or butter are all delicious. You want a mash that’s moist without being runny.

For greens, wash and shred any mixture of chard, spinach, beet greens, dandelion, whatever. Add a minced garlic clove, minced scallion, salt, and pepper. Saute briefly in a little oilve oil, but don’t completely cook. Drain, then wrap in a clean dishtowel or paper towels to get the greens dry.

Other seasonings to consider: sumac, coriander seed, cumin, the hot pepper family, and fennel.