Beef Hand Pies

Pot Roast is one of my favorite meals, but I always struggle with what to do with the leftovers. Redeeming leftovers so that cries of excitement greet your ears rather than groans of dread is always a challenge. Beef Orzo Stew or hash are always good options, but sometimes I get rather tired of reinventing my reinventions.

Enter Beef Hand Pies. Two flaky crescents of golden goodness break away to reveal a hidden mash of tender, pulled beef and peeping vegetables. Along with a cloud of steam that escapes from the rent pastry steals the faint aroma of thyme mingled with the down-home scent of pot roast. The beef is surprisingly tender and juicy due to an appropriate amount of cream. The unassuming hand pie is a somewhat countrified version of its upscale cousin, the Beef Wellington. No boring leftovers here!

Beef Hand Pies

Makes 2

1 recipe for double crust pie dough

1 T. olive oil

1 onion, minced 

1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. minced fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried

1/3 cup heavy cream

7 1/2 ounces cooked beef, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup frozen peas (or you could use pieces of cooked veggies from your pot roast, chopped small)

1 large egg, slightly beaten

Make pie dough and set it in the refrigerator to keep cool.

Sauté minced onion, brown sugar and salt in oil over medium heat until onion begins to soften. 

Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté for another 8 - 10 minutes until onions are caramelized.

Stir often so the onions don't burn!

Add garlic and thyme and sauté for another 30 seconds.  

Add cream and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. 

Add beef and stir together. 

Season with salt and pepper.

Then remove beef mixture to the fridge to cool while you roll out the pie dough.

Once cool, stir in the peas.

Roll out the pie dough (you can find tips for that here!) into a large circle, around 12 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Slice down the center with a bench scraper or pizza cutter.

Make sure the counter is well-floured so your dough doesn't stick!

Divide the mixture evenly between the two crusts, placing the beef on the front half of each crust.

Then wet the edges with water and fold the crust over on top of the beef. Press the edges to seal and trim off any excess dough, leaving a half-inch of sealed edges.

Crimp the edges all the way around with your fingers. 

Transfer pastries to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Don't be confused by the picture, I made a double batch. 

Poke vent holes in the top with a knife or fork and brush tops with a beaten egg. 

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes at 425 degrees, until golden brown. Serve warm. 

Recipe adapted from Cooking for Two 2011.