John Wheeler

Hello, my fabulous readers! Today, I’m thrilled to share with you a recipe that’s not only delightful to eat, but also super fun to make – Homemade Hand Pies. These little pastry pockets filled with sweet or savory goodness are the ultimate comfort food, perfect for picnics, lunchboxes, or a simple treat at home. So, welcome to “Portable Pleasures: My Adventure with Homemade Hand Pies”. Let’s get baking!

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1/2 cup ice cold water

For the Filling (Sweet or Savory):

• 1 cup fruit filling (like apple or cherry), OR
• 1 cup savory filling (like cooked, seasoned ground beef or chicken with veggies)

For the Glaze:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon water
• Coarse sugar for sprinkling (if making sweet pies)

Instructions:

1. Make the pastry: In a large bowl, I combine the flour and salt. Then, I cut in the cold, cubed butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Gradually, I add the ice water and stir just until the dough comes together.
2. Chill the dough: I shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat my oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Assemble the Hand Pies: I roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a round cutter or a glass, I cut out circles of dough. On half of the circles, I place a spoonful of my chosen filling, leaving a border around the edge. I place another dough circle on top of each filled circle, press the edges to seal, then crimp with a fork.
5. Glaze and bake: I whisk together the beaten egg and water to make an egg wash. I brush this over the top of each hand pie, then sprinkle with coarse sugar if I’m making sweet pies. I bake the pies for about 20-25 minutes, until they’re golden brown.

Conclusion:

And there you have it! My delightful Homemade Hand Pies from “Portable Pleasures: My Adventure with Homemade Hand Pies”. Whether you prefer them sweet or savory, these hand pies are sure to impress. They’re portable, convenient, and most importantly, delicious. Give this recipe a try and let me know how your hand pie adventure goes in the comments below. Happy baking!

Un Seattle Gourmand