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.

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Irish Soda Bread

IRISH SODA BREAD

Makes 2 x 8" rounds

Ingredients

4 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour plus 2 to 3 tablespoons for kneading

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon caraway seeds*

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ½ to 2 cups dark raisins, plumped**

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon water

 

Procedure

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Position oven shelf to the lower third level of the oven.  Butter 2x 8”-layer pans or line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

 

2.  In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.  Stir in the caraway seeds if desired.

 

3.  Cut the butter into 1/2" cubes and add it to the flour mixture.  Using a pastry blender, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in the raisins.

 

4.  In a small bowl, blend together the buttermilk, baking soda, whole eggs, and egg white.  Stir liquids into the flour mixture blending together with a fork.  When liquids are absorbed, turn the batter onto a floured surface.  The mixture will be sticky.  Knead lightly until the dough is smooth.

 

5.  Divide the dough in half.  Shape each piece into a ball, flatten slightly, and place into the layer pan or side by side on parchment lined pan.  Using a razor blade, cut a 4" cross about 1/2" deep in the center of the ball.

 

6.  Combine the egg yolk with the water and brush on the surface of the dough.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool completely before slicing.

 

*optional

**Soak raisin in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and use as directed above

 

Cinnamon Walnut Rugalach

Cinnamon Walnut Rugalach

4 dozen

Ingredients

1 x recipe for cream cheese pastry*

1/3 cup flour mixed with 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Procedure

Pre-heat oven 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment.

1.   Divide each disk of cream cheese pastry in half (you will have four pieces).

2.   Lightly sprinkle rolling surface with flour/sugar mixture.  Working 1 piece of dough at a time, form a cylinder. With well-floured surface, roll the dough into a long strip: approximately 15 inches long and 10 inches wide.

3.   Combine sugar and cinnamon, generously sprinkle with strip with mixture and top with and even layer( ¼ cup) walnuts. Roll dough from the bottom to form a jelly type roll. Cut roll into 2-inch pieces You should get 12 total. Place dough seam side down on a prepared sheet pan.  Repeat process with remaining dough. Chill rugalach 15-20 minutes before cooking.

4.   Bake rugalach 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Before serving sprinkle cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Cookies can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 1 week or frozen for 2-3 months.

*Basic Cream Cheese Dough                                 

Ingredients

½ lb. room temperature sweet butter

½ lb. room temperature cream cheese

2 cups un-sifted, unbleached, all-purpose flour

Procedure

1.   In a bowl, with a wooden spoon, cream together butter and cream cheese, until well combined and smooth. With spoon work 1 cup flour into the creamed mixture.  Add remaining flour and work it in to form a dough, do not overwork.

 

2.   Divide the dough in half and from each half into a flat square. Dust dough with flour and wrap with plastic. Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours before using. Dough can be made 2-3 days in advance of use or frozen for up to 3 months.

 

3.   When ready to use the dough, remove from refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before rolling.

Use cream cheese dough for sweet or savory items. Pin wheels, rugelach,

Roasted Leg of lamb perfect for the holidays

Roast Boneless Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Red Wine & Roasted Garlic Sauce 

 Serves: 12

4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon  cracked black pepper

6-pound bone-in leg of lamb

1 whole bulb garlic (12-14 cloves )

2 cups veal or beef stock

1 cup DRY red wine

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¾ cup diced dried figs (optional)

 

 

1.       Mix the minced garlic, chopped rosemary, oil, salt and pepper in a (LARGE BOWL- or Jumbo Ziploc).  Add the lamb and turn to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (OR OVERNIGHT)

 

2.       Heat the oven to 450°F.  Remove the lamb from the marinade and place on a rack in a roasting pan.  Pour the marinade into the bottom of the roasting pan and stir in 1 cup water.  Cut off the top of the garlic bulb and place onto a square of heavy-duty aluminum foil.  Drizzle the garlic with additional olive oil.  Fold the foil to enclose the garlic and place the bundle onto the rack next to the lamb.

 

3.       Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to cook garlic 30 minutes before checking to see if done, then remove from the oven, cloves will be soft.

 

4.       Roast for another 2-2 ¼  hours or until the internal temperature of the lamb reaches 140°F. for medium-rare  or until desired doneness, adding more water to the bottom of the pan (about 2 cups) about halfway through the cooking time.  Remove the lamb to a cutting board, cover and let stand for at least 15 minutes before slicing.  Reserve the pan drippings and spoon off any fat.

 

5.       Heat the stock, wine and rosemary sprig and figs in a 3 qt.  saucepan over TEMP to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Cook for 20 minutes or until the mixture is reduced to about 1 ½ cups.  Stir in the reserved pan drippings and heat to a boil over high heat..  Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for until the mixture is reduced to 2 ½ cups .  Stir in the roasted garlic and parsley. serve with the lamb. 

 

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Roasted Sweet Onion Dip

 

Roasted Sweet Onion Dip

 

Ingredients

2 large Vidalia or other sweet onions, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided

½ tsp. cracked black pepper

6-10 cloves garlic

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Splash of hot sauce

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 425°.

1.      Place onion and garlic in a large bowl; drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper; toss to coat.  Place onion and garlic on a sheet pan. Bake at 425° for 1 hour; cool 10-15 minutes. Chop onion and garlic.

2.      Combine onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon remaining salt, sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, lemon juice and hot sauce in a bowl. Cover dip and chill at least 1 hour. Serve with sweet potato fries, chips or vegetables.

 

 

Yield 2 cups

 

Meyer Lemon-Asparagus Galette

Meyer Lemon-Asparagus Galette

 

Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes
Serves: 6

 

Ingredients

1 sheet 12x12 inches puff pastry
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 lb. thin asparagus spears, trimmed 35-40 spears*

1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil

½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Juice and grated zest of 1 Meyer lemon**

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

 

1.      Roll pastry to even and place on cookie sheet; with a knife score around the edges ½ inch in to make a border. Prick inside border with tines of fork.

 

2.      Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese inside border of pastry. Toss asparagus with oil, cracked pepper, salt, lemon juice & lemon zest, then arrange the on top of the cheese (these can be stacked a bit for height).

 

3.      Bake 20-25 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Serve warm sprinkled with remaining cheese.

 

* If only thick asparagus spears are available slice in half length-wise

**When out of season use a regular lemon