Turkey Chili Hand Pies

By cwyorkiex3

Hand pies are part of a growing trend of old-becomes-new-again recipes taking the country by storm. At their most basic, they are sweet or savory fillings in pastry or pie dough, small enough to be held in the hand for on-the-go enjoyment.
These hand pies make the most of leftover turkey from your holiday roast, blending meat, tomato, cheese and spices into a zesty, flavorful filling surrounded with an incredibly flaky crust. Before you know it, you'll want one for each hand!


Hands-on time: 35 mins. to 40 mins.
Baking time: 20 mins. to 30 mins.
Total time: 2 hrs 15 mins. to 2 hrs 30 mins.
Yield: 8 to 24 pies, depending on size

Ingredients

• Flaky Pastry:
• 2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
• Filling for Turkey Hand Pie:
• 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• 15-ounce can ground tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste, as needed

Preparation

Step 1

1) Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in half of the chilled butter with a pastry blender until the butter/flour mixture resembles granola. Work quickly to keep the butter as cold as possible.

2) Dice the remaining butter and add to the butter/flour mixture in the bowl. Work in the new butter until it is the size of dried cranberries. You can flatten the pieces slightly with your fingers as you go along, creating leaves of butter coated in flour.

3) Sprinkle about half of the ice water over the butter/flour and work gently, adding more water as needed until the dough forms a rough mass. Knead the dough for about 30 seconds.

4) Divide the dough in half and press gently into 2 discs. You should still be able to see bits of butter in the dough. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. You can keep the dough in the fridge up to overnight if desired.




1) Prepare the turkey chili. Begin by sautéing the onion and garlic in a small amount of water or oil. When the onion begins to turn opaque, stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

2) Continue to sauté for 1 minute, until the mixture is very fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cooked turkey, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.

3) Stir in the cheese and check for consistency. If the chili seems on the wet side, add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste to thicken it up. As a filling, it will need to be slightly thicker than regular-in-the-bowl chili. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

4) Remove from the heat, transfer to a large bowl, and place in the fridge until cooled.

5) When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll the crust 1/4" thick and cut circles with a biscuit cutter or other round cutter. You can cut any size up to 6".

6) Depending on the size of the circle, place a few tablespoons of cooled chili to the left of center, then fold the crust over the chili to make a half-moon shape. Use a touch of water to seal the seam, and press firmly with a fork to complete the seal.

7) Place several hand pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 30 minutes, again depending on the size of the pies. When done, the crust will be golden all over and sizzling.

8) Serve hot with fresh salsa, salsa verde, sour cream, and your other favorite toppings.