Vanessa and her kids were be back in our demo kitchen for this week’s Virtual Cooking Demo via Facebook Live. They made hand pies not 1, not 2, but 3 ways. Two savories, and one sweet. These make great hands-on lunches for kids. Our chefs will be using the Prepworks Dough Press Set, but you can absolutely make these by hand. The pie crust they’ll be using is a familiar one, it’s Louisa’s recipe from the Quiche Lorraine Cooking Demo earlier this year. See below for the filling ingredients lists and the pie dough recipe.
Pre-heat oven to 425 Degrees Fahrenheit. Each pie will bake for approx. 18 minutes. May be more or less depending on size of pie and amount of filling used!
Roll out chilled pie dough until it’s about 1/8in thick. Using either the Progressive Dough Press Set, or a round biscuit cutter, cut the dough into circles. Spoon a teaspoon of filling onto one side, brush the dough with the egg wash and crimp halves together. Place on a baking sheet.
Once all the dough has been used and you’re ready to bake, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and place in oven for approx. 18 min. (Cook time may vary slightly depending on size of pie and amount of filling used!). Rotate pan partway through baking. Take out of oven once golden brown. Let cool and then enjoy!
- Pie Crust (see recipe below)
- Flour for rolling out the dough
- 2 T Butter
- 1/4 c. Onion, diced
- 4 c. Fresh Spinach
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 c. Ricotta Cheese
- 1/4 c. Grated Parmesan Cheese
- S & P to taste
- Pinch of Nutmeg
- 1 egg + 1 T Water for egg wash
- Pie Crust (see recipe below)
- Flour for rolling out dough
- Ham- shaved, cubed or sliced
- 3/4 c. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- Egg Wash
- Sea Salt
- Pie Crust (see recipe below)
- Flour for rolling out dough
- 1/4 c. Fresh Strawberries
- 1/2 c. Strawberry Preserves
- 1 Lemon
- Granulated Sugar for Dusting
- Progressive Dough Press Set (optional)
- 3 Large Bowls, 1 Small bowl
- Rolling Pin
- Basting Brush
- Spoon
- Skillet
- Sharp Knife or Fork for Air Vents
- Parchment Lined Baking Sheet or Silicone Mat Lined Baking Sheet
Pie Dough
If you don’t have time (or are scared!) to make your own pie crust, don’t worry about it! There are good options at the grocery store that will be perfectly fine. (If you make the filling, you can still call it homemade!) And… don’t be scared. It’s only pie crust!
- 2½ C All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teas Salt
- 1 teas Sugar
- 1 C Cold Butter (2 sticks – refrigerate but don’t freeze) (You can use lard, or Crisco, or a combo, but make sure it’s cold!)
- 6 Tbsp Cold Water (you may need a little more)
- 1 Tbsp Vinegar or Fresh Lemon Juice
- Place flour, salt and sugar in a bowl and toss lightly to mix.
- Cut your cold butter into ½” cubes and add to flour.
- Using your hands, a fork or a pastry cutter, gently work the butter into the flour until it loosely resembles couscous. (If you “run warm” don’t use your hands. You want to keep the butter cold.)
- Add vinegar (or lemon juice) to water and then pour into flour/butter mixture.
- Using your hands or a wooden spoon, mix together very gently until you form a ball. Avoid overmixing – as soon as all the flour and water are mixed, stop!
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in fridge.
