Aug
This is one of my mum’s recipes. I like making recipes which my mum used to make many years ago for my own family. Isn’t it magical?
I’ve changed my mum’s recipe a little which I so loved in my childhood and now. Hand pies with the eggs+onions+dill filling. Actually I’ve changed the only dough: my mum used an yeast dough, but I decided to make these pies with a puff pastry. I was always afraid of this type of pastry. To be honest if I needed it I just bought it in the store. But even the best quality puff pastry can’t compare with the homemade one so I decided to simplify it. The main rule you need to follow is keep the butter cold, not allowing it to melt. It’s important when you can see the bits of butter in the dough. Because this is what make the dough so flaky.
Hand Pies with Greens & Eggs
(makes 14 pies) QUICK PUFF PASTRY: 200 g plain flour 200 g cold butter 100-120 ml ice water sea salt FILLING: 5 medium-sized chicken eggs 1/3 cup chopped spring onions 1/2 cup chopped dill sea salt pepper
QUICK PUFF PASTRY
Sift the flour onto the working surface. Add the salt. Cut the butter into small cubes (cutting the butter before you freeze it makes it easier). I recommend to cut and place the butter overnight before baking. Add the butter to the flour and rub it in very loosely. You need to see the bits of butter in the flour and prevent them from melting. Than pour in the water gradually and knead until you get elastic and easy to knead dough. Add extra water or flour if needed. When the dough is ready cover with cling film and place into the fridge for about 20 mins.
FILLING
Cook hard-boiled eggs, shell them and let cool. Chop the eggs into the large bowl, add chopped spring onions and dill. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and mix. Cover with clean towel and set aside.
Take the dough from the fridge. Flour lightly the working surface. Roll out the dough into a smooth rectangle (for about 1 cm in hight). You should see the bits of the butter. It’s fine, just sprinkle with flour to avoid sticking to the rolling pin. Then fold the edges (right and left) of the dough to the centre. Roll out lightly sprinkling with the flour. You need to get a smooth rectangle again. Repeat the same using other edges. You need to get an elongated rectangle. Place the dough so that the longer side is toward you and then fold the dough in half. Cover with cling film and chill for about 30 mins before rolling. You can use this kind of pastry for a pie base or for hand pies.
Preheat the oven to 175C degrees.
Take the dough, roll it out in layer 0.5 cm thick. Cut out the circles (I used a round cutter 9 cm in diameter). Place the filling into the centre of the each circle. Fold in half and pinch the edges using a fork. If the edges stick together hardly you can whisk egg and 2-3 tbsp of the milk (which you will use for the pies later) and grease the edges of the circles before pinching them. It should help.
After that grease the top of each pie with the egg+milk and bake for about 20 mins until the crust is golden brown.
Let the pies cool a little and serve. They’re the best when warm.
