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hand pie

Sweet Potato Empanadas with Pesto Filling

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Digging around in the freezer can result in finding some ingredients to make some fun things like these Sweet Potato Empanadas filled with a dollop of pesto and served with a lime yogurt dipping sauce.

As food lovers we can become collectors of ingredients, like artists needs materials. Do you do this too? Wherever I go, either home or on vacation, I am constantly scouring for something new, or previously ignored. Sauces, frozen foods, unusual fruits and veggies- that sort of thing.

My studio is located in a mostly hispanic neighborhood, which can lend itself to some interesting finds. The markets stock fun things such as guava puree, tamarind blocks, frozen yucca, and several varieties of empanada wrappers.

Wrapping it up

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Spinach Lamb Hand pies- Comforting Food

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Ready to eat lamb hand pie.

I have weathered Sandy here in NYC without a single scratch- except for the emotional impact that I have for my fellow citizens. There is a very familiar similarity in my state this week compared to post 9/11. The same sadness, weariness and struggle to wrap my brain around so much devastation. I expected plenty of wreckage- but I am just so overwhelmed by the total losses. I’ve stopped watching the news updates and have turned instead towards putting my energy towards sending good thoughts and positive energy for our wounded city.

As the recovery unfolds I will no doubt find some way to help. I have a bag of clothes to donate sitting by the door, and I can certainly cook. There will be plenty of opportunity and I will be ready for it.

Ready to be folded

The mayor is presently on the TV saying that they need money, not food- or at least not right now. We’ll see about that as time goes on. NYer’s are a gathering of some of the most resilient folks around- but the future is long and the recovery is great.

So my pretty little lamb hand pies- what jewels to behold in the midst of this. I had made a fairly large roast the other day and ate all I could for a day or two. I live in a Hispanic neighborhood and in the freezer section of the markets are several brands of pre-made empanada dough. The one I found here is low in saturated fat and quite delicious. I usually make my own dough- the recipe for which you can find HERE– but this was a great alternative, and I’m not ashamed to say that for something simple like this, it was well worth it.

I quickly made up about 20 of them in no time flat. Some I have stashed in the freezer, the others I handed out to neighbors and friends. I had one the other day as a quick snack while studying. I only had to warm it up and I was good to go. Years ago I used to eat Cornish Pasties when I was a photo intern at the Catskill Center for Photography in Woodstock, NY. They are a delight. Comforting and wholesome- real stick to your ribs sort of food.

My heart goes out to any of my readers that have been negatively touched by Sandy.  Know that I am thinking of you.

Spinach and Mushroom Lamb Hand Pie
makes 20
 
You can make them and freeze them unbaked, or as I did, bake them off first. I like the latter for quick snacking or a rushed meal- both work equally well.
 
8-10 oz pre-cooked lamb- leftovers are fantastic, cut into small cubes
8 handfuls of fresh spinach, or one frozen package squeezed dry
1# white mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
.5 yellow onion, diced
2T fresh minced Rosemary
S&P
2 packages of pre-made empanada dough, thawed or homemade
egg wash for sealing and finishing (1 egg + 3T water)
 
In a large frying pan, sautee the garlic and onion over medium heat until onions become slightly translucent. 
 
Add the mushrooms and sautee 2-3 minutes until they release their juice.
 
Add the spinach and sautee until fresh spinach is wilted or the frozen is well heated through
 
Add the rosemary and S&P to taste.
 
Allow the mixture to cool as you prepare the dough. Allow the frozen dough to thaw but not fully room temperature- keep cool.
 
Fill each wrapper on one half side of the circle. I like to be generous with mine. I know it may seem that you won’t get them closed shut, but they will, promise.
 
Fold over the dough and paint edge with egg wash (or plain water if you prefer). Then pinch and crimp the edge together to seal tightly. 
 
Paint finished hand pies with egg wash and place on a lined baking tray.
 
Preheat oven to 375˚ and back until golden brown. The insides are pre-cooked, so they are done as soon as they look tempting.
 
Be patient and allow them to cook a few minutes before eating. The filling can get mighty hot.
 
 

Mapled Apple Hand Pies In a Brown Butter and Smoked Almond Crust

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My version of Abby Dodge’s Apple Hand Tart
I am a fool for hand pies. I love them. I can make them all day. And who doesn’t like to eat a gem of a hand pie? I know I just posted an apple tart recently, but I made these pies today in honor of my new friend Abby Dodge, who has just come out with another outstanding book, this one called, Mini Treats and Handmade Sweets ~100 Delicious Desserts to Pick Up and Eat! Please read all about it here.
Abby is an incredible baker and an even more incredible person. I met her earlier this year at the NYC Cookbook Conference. She has an amazing grace and calm about her that I found mesmerizing. I am also terrifically jealous of her gorgeous gray hair- but that’s another subject. Abby has produced a long list of fantastic baking books, and each one should be on your shelf.
So here I am making pretty baked things to support my friend’s new book. So now you can forgive two apple treats in one week, yes?
Her recipe is titled: Brown Butter Apple Hand Tarts. The dough is made by first melting and browning the butter, and recipe uses eggs too. I’ve never made this type of crust before so I was intrigued. You can read about my other handpie dough recipes here, and you can see that I love to experiment.
For my version of her recipe, I added in a generous heap of finely chopped smoked almonds. This gives the crust an even earthier tone and a fantastic crunchy texture. The apples I kept pretty close to the recipe, though I split her 4 Tablespoons of honey into 2T of honey and 2T of maple syrup.
So there you have it.  Gorgeous afternoon delightfulness.
You can get the recipe here, and to recreate my version you would make the following changes:
For the crust:
2.5 c all purpose flour + 1c finely chopped smoked almonds, salted
omit salt in recipe
For the filling:
2T honey + 2T maple syrup
Happy Baking All!