Is a shell just a vessel meant to hold something more divine or the outside is equally important? Let's make a meat pie to find it out!
Course Appetizer, Low Carb Meal, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Sugar free recipe
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Ingredients
Beginner
Filling
½cupOil or lard
1Oniondiced
2Carrotsdiced
1stalk Celerydiced
1teaspoonSalt
1teaspoonBlack pepperoptional
3clovesGarlic
2Tomatoes
1teaspoonPaprika
1lbGround meat
½ cup Red wine
Dough
2Puff pastry dough
1Egg yolk
Advanced
Dough
1½cupFlour
2tablespoonsButter
2teaspoonsBaking powderfollow instruction on packaging
1Egg
2tablespoons Water
Filling
1Oniondiced
2ozLard or Cooking oil
¼Pepperdiced
2teaspoonsPaprikaground
2clovesGarlicdiced
¼Tomato
2teaspoonSalt
½teaspoonsBlack pepper
½teaspoonsCuminoptional
1Carrot
1lbBeef cubesdiced
¼cupRed wine
½cupWaterapprox
Top
1Puff pastry dough
1Egg yolk
Instructions
Beginner
Filling
Heat oil in a pan, on high temperature saute the diced onion, carrot and celery until the onion gets a glassy / translucent look for about 3- 5 minutes.
Mix in salt, black pepper and tomatoes then reduce the heat to medium/low and stir fry until the onion starts to caramelize for about 10 - 20 minutes.
Mix in the paprika, garlic and ground meat.
Increase the heat and brown the meat evenly. That should take about 5 minutes.
Add the optional red wine and water.
On medium heat reduce the amount of liquid to about half or less.
Dough
The quickest and easiest method is to simply use store bought pastry but making our own traditional dough isn't that hard either. We make muffin sized meat pies but if we are in the rush just use a standard pie tray. Unroll the puff pastry.
If we are lucky enough to have big cookie cutters that cover the bottom of our baking form, use them. Otherwise just cut the dough to size by whatever means possible.
Cut out the lids too.
Assembly
Fill the dough up with the filling.
Place the lid on and close it by pressing around the edges. Try to seal it tight.
Beat egg yolk and brush the top of the meat pies then put them into a 360°F / 180°C preheated oven until the top is golden brown for 30 - 40 minutes.
Sometimes they stick to the side of the baking form a bit but with a gentle prying they come out nicely.
Advanced
Filling
Saute onion until it gets a translucent, glassy look then add diced pepper, paprika, garlic, tomato, salt, black pepper, cumin and carrot.
Add the meat and mix all together well.
Pour wine and water until the meat is submerged. Put the lid on then cook on low heat until meat is soft and melting tender for about 3-4 hours. Stir occasionally and refill liquid if it reduces below ¾ of the meat. Let it cool for 20 minutes before using it.
Dough
Knead flour, butter, baking powder, egg and water together.
On a lightly floured surface roll it out to a about a ¼" / 0.5cm thickness.
If we are lucky enough to have big cookie cutters that cover the bottom of our baking form, use them. Otherwise just cut the dough to size by whatever means possible.
Cut the lids out too. For the lids we can use the same dough but also puff pastry that gives additional texture to our pies.
Assembly
Fill the dough up with the filling.
Place the lid on and close it by pressing around the edges. Try to seal it tight.
Beat egg yolk and brush the top of the meat pies then put them into a 360°F / 180°C preheated oven until the top is golden brown for 30 - 40 minutes.