Australian Hand Pies

Shepherd Pie Hand Pies

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 40 minutes Total: 1 hour Serves: 5 to 6

1 pound Thomas Farms® Ground Lamb

½ cup grated or minced onion

3 tablespoons steak sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup thawed frozen peas and carrots

1 package frozen empanada discos (5-inch size) (10 to 12 dough rounds), thawed

¾ cup mashed potatoes

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. While the oven is heating, heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and onion and cook until the meat is browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat.

2. Stir in the steak sauce, tomato paste and peas and carrots and cook until hot. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Roll the discos into 6-inch circles (you'll need 2 circles for each pie). Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of 5 or 6 (4-inch) mini tart pans. Spoon about ½ cup lamb mixture into each pan and top each with about 2 tablespoons mashed potato. Top with the remaining dough and crimp the edges of the top and bottom together to seal. Cut several slits in the top to vent.

4. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pies are golden brown. Let the pies cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before serving.

For Spanakopita Hand Pie filling, season the lamb and onion with 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in 1 ½ cups chopped fresh baby spinach and 1 cup crumbled feta and cook until the spinach is wilted. Fill and bake pies as shown above, omitting the mashed potatoes.

For Moroccan Hand Pie filling, season the lamb and onion with 2 teaspoons shawarma seasoning and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir in 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes

and cook until the liquid is evaporated. Stir in ½ cup thin strips dried apricots. Fill and bake pies as shown above, omitting the mashed potatoes.