Savory hand pies make the perfect little snack when I want something warm, tasty, and portable. Sometimes they’re breakfast or brunch. Since I use puff pastry instead of pie crust, they’re light, airy, and taste just as good when reheated in the oven the next day. Sometimes I toss in leftover cooked veggies such as shredded carrots, broccoli or spinach. My muffin pan makes mini-loaves, but any standard muffin pan will do.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
kosher salt
black pepper
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

TOOLS
measuring cups and spoons
medium (10-inch) skillet
fork
cooking spoon
cutting board
flour, for dusting
chef’s knife
rolling pin
muffin pan
pastry brush

METHOD
1. Set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat until hot. Add beef and pork to skillet, breaking it up with fork. Add in diced onions, minced garlic, and seasonings.
3. Stirring frequently, cook until meat is just browned throughout, then remove from heat and mix in shredded cheese.
4. Lightly flour the cutting board. Cut pastry dough lengthwise into 3 equal sheets, then cut the individual sheets into 4 pieces, resulting in 12 squares.
5. Use rolling pin to lightly roll 6 of the squares until they are about 1 1/2 times their original size.
6. Place rolled out squares into 6 of the muffin wells, then fill with meat mixture. Top with remaining puff pastry squares. Press down lightly to seal the meat pies.
7. Brush tops with beaten egg. With a very sharp knife, cut slits into the pastry to release steam.
8. Bake until golden brown—about 15 minutes.

NOTES & TIPS
• Each of the rolled out squares should be large enough to cover the bottom and most of the sides of a muffin well.
• Make sure the meat filling has cooled before scooping it onto the dough.
• If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use a drinking glass or wine bottle to roll out the dough. Thawed dough needs only very gentle pressure to roll out.
• Reheat these for 10 minutes or so in the oven, not the microwave. Puff pastry gets soggy when microwaved.

READY IN
50 minutes

YIELD
6 servings