Spiced Lamb Hand Pies

The anglophile in me loves a good hand pie (aka pasty!), and my boyfriend is a huge fan of all things lamb. When I came across the following recipe in Bon Appétit by Inez Valk-Kempthorne, I knew I just had to give it a whirl – though I admittedly substituted her use of butter pie dough for the Trader Joe’s pre-made frozen variety (which I find incredibly difficult to top, given a weeknight after work!). Straight out of the oven, these pies are flaky, wonderfully fragrant parcels of rich, stew-like filling, and are perfectly paired with a bright and crisp Brussels sprout salad on a chilly, near-winter night.

Spiced Lamb Hand Pies
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp dried currants
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp tomato paste
¾ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ pound ground lamb
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
⅓ cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 pieces Trader Joe’s pre-made frozen pie dough (1 package)
All-purpose flour (for surface)
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Bring vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add currants; set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomato paste, cumin, ginger, cardamom, and turmeric and cook until fragrant and sticky, about 1 minute. Add lamb and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Stir in peas; cook until bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain reserved currants and add to lamb along with parsley. Let cool.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Working with one pie crust at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 12” squares. Cut each into 4 squares to make 8 pies; transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Spoon filling onto one side of squares, leaving ½” border. Brush edges with egg and fold dough over filling. Press to seal; crimp with a fork. Cut a few vents in tops; brush with egg.

Bake until pies are golden brown, 30–35 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Skirt: Deadly Dames Darling Dames Skirt in Zebra Print
Top: Cropped Sweater Top in Midnight Blue
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