I have in the last few years rediscovered the joys of hand pies. Sure, it’s a little more work than making a traditional pie; but it convinces me that I’m only eating a piece or two instead of the whole thing, and I can freeze a bunch of them for future meals.
There are many versions of hand pies all over the world; some are sweet and some are savory. The possible fillings are nearly endless! If you are using a fruit other than apples, a little bit of cornstarch can help hold the filling together. This recipe is for a sweet apple hand pie – perfect for fall.
TO MAKE
Start with your favorite pie crust recipe – here’s mine:
INGREDIENTS
▸ 2 1/2 cups flour
▸ 1/2 tsp salt
▸ 2 sticks of butter
▸ 4-6 Tbsp ice water
In the food processor, mix flour, salt and butter until it is a crumbly consistency. Add ice water gradually and process until it comes together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your filling:
INGREDIENTS
▸ 3 large apples, diced
(3 ½ cups)
▸ 1/3 cup brown sugar
▸ 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
▸ 1 tsp ground cinnamon
▸ 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
▸ 1/4 tsp ground allspice
▸ 1 egg yolk, beaten
In a stainless steel pot, stir all ingredients together and bring the mixture to a simmer for two minutes, then let it cool.
Roll out your dough to about ⅛ inch thickness and cut into 3 ½-4” circles (two for each pie). Put a scoop of filling in the center of one circle. With your finger, wet the outside edge and place the second circle over the filling. Using a fork, press the edges of the crusts together to form a seal. With a knife, cut a couple of vent holes in the top of the pie. Brush the top lightly with egg yolk.
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, bake at 375oF for 28-30 minutes. They should be golden brown and the filling will just be starting to bubble. While they will be hard to resist, let the pies cool for about ten minutes before biting – or else, it will be like hot lava!
If you want to freeze a few, assemble them but don’t bake; go ahead and freeze them raw. Then, you can serve fresh-from-the-oven pies later, too.
These little cuties are always welcome on any table …
Enjoy!
