Meat and Potato Pies
Tags: Beef Dinner
Yield: 6
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, chilled and cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into pieces
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 ounces chuck steak, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons 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 and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for brushing over the pie
- 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 dry (better too wet than too dry). Divide the dough in half, form into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- To make the Meat and Potato Filling, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the meat and sear on both sides until crusty brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl. Add the onions to the skillet and saute 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 simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours. Add the chopped potato and carrot, sage, salt, and pepper 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. Use a 6-inch saucer to cut out six 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 six circles. Brush the overhanging dough with water and 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.
