Meat and Potato Pies
Makes 6
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 Tbs 1 stick butter, chilled and cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into pieces
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup cold water
- 2 Tbs vegetable oil
- 6 oz chuck steak, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium red-skinned potato, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbs water
- Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Scatter the pieces of butter and shortening over the flour mixture.
- Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse yellow meal without any white powdery bits remaining, about 15 pulses.
- Turn the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup water over the mixture and toss with a rubber spatula until the dough sticks together.
- Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time if the dough is too dry.
- Divide the dough in half, form into disks, wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet.
- Add the meat and sear on both sized until crusty brown, about 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the onions to the skillet and sauté until well browned.
- Return the meat to the pan, sprinkle the flour over, and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring.
- Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours.
- Add the chopped potato, carrot, sage, and salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, transfer to another bowl, and cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator.
- On a generously floured surface roll out one of the disks very thin.
- Cut 6 6-inch circles.
- Fit the circles into a 6 cup muffin pan, leaving the overhang.
- Fill generously with the meat and potato filling.
- Roll out the second disk of dough.
- Use a 4-inch cookie cutter to cut out 6 circles.
- Brush the overhanging dough with water and the lay the circles over the filling.
- For each pie, fold the overhang over the top dough circle and press with your fingers to seal.
- Cut slits in the top of each pie to form vents, and brush the tops with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 1 hour, rotating the pan midway through baking.
. The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook. Page 44-45. Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media, 2010.