Before I get to the next chapter of the Index I want to share a recipe that fits this category.
This was a rather unusual Thanksgiving leftovers problem: I made a pumpkin pie using purchased premade crust, but the package had two crusts, leaving me with an extra. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t throw out $1.50 worth of unused food, but I wanted to use this.
I’d never made meat pies before but it seemed to make sense.
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This is based on a Martha Stewart recipe; if you don’t have a leftover pie crust you can make your own, if you’re comfortable with that, or use frozen puff pastry as she suggests. [if you do that, read her directions for using the puff pastry.] One 9-inch crust makes two pie quadrants as pictured above; if making your own you might prefer to roll the desired number of 6-inch crusts to make half-circle pies; with puff pastry you’ll get four small triangular pies from each sheet. Adjust the amount of filling as needed.
These are “hand pies” where the filling needs to be fairly dry to keep from making a mess, unlike pot pies where gravy is an important feature. Serving with gravy poured over is highly recommended.
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Meat Pies
makes 2
crust for 1 9-inch pie (purchase or make according to your favorite recipe)
½ pound ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ large onion, minced
½ stalk celery, minced
1 medium potato, peeled, diced small
salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce to taste
1 egg, beaten with a little water
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, potato, and raisins; season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Let cool before putting on crust.
- On a lightly floured work surface, gently roll out crust. Place equal portions of beef mixture in center of each pastry section. Brush edges lightly with egg wash, fold over filling, press to seal, brush top with egg wash, and sprinkle with paprika.
- Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet(s) and bake until pastry is golden and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
A famous TV commercial of the 1980s asked “Where’s the Beef?” The beef is right here, 40 different ways.
This is Part 10 of the index; Part 11 will be Lamb, Pork, Veal, and Legumes. Part 12 will be Desserts.
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I’ll be cooking saag paneer again. What’s for dinner at your place?
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