Moroccan Hand Pies with Eggplant and Apricots

By 1buttons

Ingredients

• For the filling:
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/4 cups)
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 recipe Ground-Meat Mix (about 1 3/4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 3 tablespoons harissa (igourmet.com)
• For the crust:
• 1 disk Pate Brisee
• All-purpose flour, for surface
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
• Directions

Details

Servings 40

Preparation

Step 1

Directions

Make the filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until tender and slightly golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool.
Mix together eggplant, meat, apricots, and harissa until just combined. Divide into 8 portions (about 1/2 cup each). Form each into a plump half-moon shape.
Make the crust: Roll out pate brisee to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out eight 6-inch circles, rerolling scraps if needed. Refrigerate on a baking sheet until slightly firm, about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly brush edges of 1 dough circle with egg wash. Top with 1 portion of meat. Fold dough to encase filling, forming a half-moon. Carefully press around edges to seal. Pleat edges using your fingers, or press with a fork. Make a vent in the top using a skewer or a knife. Repeat with remaining dough and meat, transferring pies to parchment-lined baking sheets (4 to 6 per sheet). Refrigerate until dough is very firm, about 1 hour, or freeze for 30 minutes.
Brush tops with egg wash. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden and filling is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.