Irish Beef Hand Pies ~ Martha Mondays

Megan of Megan's Cookin' chose this weeks Martha Monday project Irish Hand Pies. How clever she picked a pie for Pi day! I was glad I got a chance to get it posted today. I was going to make it yesterday and have it finished in the daylight so I could photograph it nicely....but I didn't have the store bought pie crust and I had to make my own...and the day light got away from me. So I just made a quick soup and salad and made it today on PI day!

Our host Brette from Martha and Me is feeling under the weather and couldn't make it this week. Kudos for her though...she makes it every other Monday, rain or shine. I have to take a few Monday's off now and then, I don't know how she does it.

Here is the recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine.
Ingredients
Makes 8.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
1/2 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1 pound ground beef sirloin
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Coarse salt and ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for rolling
2 piecrusts (9 inches each), homemade or store-bought
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium; add cabbage and potatoes. Cook until beginning to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Add beef; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, and 1 cup water. Cover, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Lightly mash mixture with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool completely.
2.On a lightly floured work surface, roll each crust into a 14-inch square; cut each into 4 equal squares. Place 1/2 cup filling on one half of each square, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the filling. Brush borders with water; fold dough over filling to enclose. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. With a paring knife or scissors, cut 3 small vents in each.
3.Transfer pies to 2 foil-lined rimmed baking sheets; bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
4.To Freeze: Prepare through step 2. Arrange unbaked pies on a baking sheet (they should not touch); freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Wrap each pie in foil. Place in a resealable plastic bag; freeze up to 2 months.
5.To Bake from Frozen: Proceed with step 3, increasing baking time to 28 to 30 minutes.

I did make a few changes though (as always) I added some shallots and seasoned the meat with a season blend from Penzey's Roast Beef seasoning, and used beef broth instead of water. I also added some garlic, and on a few I put in some queso blanco fresco....I know, I know it's not Irish, but neither am I. :D


I did make my own pie dough, I had to call my mom to get her beloved recipe. So they are not the prettiest, but they did taste good.

Maranda had two and she didn't even have to put sour cream on it. She asked if it would go with it, I told her to at least try it without first. They reminded me of empanadas or pasties, maybe I should of used my empanada dough :)

I am going to freeze the others and warm them up when we want them....or maybe lunch tomorrow!

Thanks Megan, good pick, and it got me to make my own(or my mom's) pie crust again. Check out the other's that participated in Martha Monday's or better yet, come on and join us!