K
Kathy in NZ
Guest
Wayne
Individual meat pies are classic fast food in NZ. See for yourself. Go
to google.co.nz, put mince pie in the search field, click on "search
in NZ", and see how many schools have it on the lunch orders.
Here's how I would make mince pies. (I have half a dozen indivual pie
moulds, oval in shape).
1 lb mince (ground beef)
water
salt
pepper
worcestershire sauce (optional)
dried beef stock powder (optional)
In a pot, add a little oil, heat, and add mince. Brown, breaking up
any lumps.
Add enough water to cover the meat, but don't add too little. The
water will become the gravy.
Add 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, a good dash of worcestershire
sauce (if desired). I would add a teaspoon of dried beef stock.
Simmer 30 minutes
Thicken with a slurry of flour and water (you don't want it runny).
Simmer a little longer for flour to absorb.
Using flaky pastry, roll out, and using a pie mould, cut the bases
large enough to overlap when put in the tins. Cut tops the same way,
making them smaller. Grease pie tins and place a base in each tin.
Fill with the cooked mince, top with a pastry lid and seal the edges.
Brush with beaten egg (if desired for glaze. It's cosmetic only).
Using end of sharp knife, make one or two steam openings in the lid.
Bake at about 350F for about 30 minutes (relying on memory here, so it
might be longer), or till pastry is cooked through.
Note: Don't roll the bases too thin. A pie is traditionally eaten in
the hand, so you don't want it to fall to pieces or sag.
That's my recipe for a mince pie. As you can see, it hasn't many
ingredients. It's really just mince and seasonings. But there are many
variations on that theme and many different types of pies. I like
"chicken and mushroom" pies too. Most stews or casseroles that use
boneless meat and which don't have large chunky veges can be used as
fillings for pies. And of course, instead of individual pies, you can
make a large pie for the family. It should be a shallow pie, not a
deep one.
Kathy in NZ
Individual meat pies are classic fast food in NZ. See for yourself. Go
to google.co.nz, put mince pie in the search field, click on "search
in NZ", and see how many schools have it on the lunch orders.
Here's how I would make mince pies. (I have half a dozen indivual pie
moulds, oval in shape).
1 lb mince (ground beef)
water
salt
pepper
worcestershire sauce (optional)
dried beef stock powder (optional)
In a pot, add a little oil, heat, and add mince. Brown, breaking up
any lumps.
Add enough water to cover the meat, but don't add too little. The
water will become the gravy.
Add 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, a good dash of worcestershire
sauce (if desired). I would add a teaspoon of dried beef stock.
Simmer 30 minutes
Thicken with a slurry of flour and water (you don't want it runny).
Simmer a little longer for flour to absorb.
Using flaky pastry, roll out, and using a pie mould, cut the bases
large enough to overlap when put in the tins. Cut tops the same way,
making them smaller. Grease pie tins and place a base in each tin.
Fill with the cooked mince, top with a pastry lid and seal the edges.
Brush with beaten egg (if desired for glaze. It's cosmetic only).
Using end of sharp knife, make one or two steam openings in the lid.
Bake at about 350F for about 30 minutes (relying on memory here, so it
might be longer), or till pastry is cooked through.
Note: Don't roll the bases too thin. A pie is traditionally eaten in
the hand, so you don't want it to fall to pieces or sag.
That's my recipe for a mince pie. As you can see, it hasn't many
ingredients. It's really just mince and seasonings. But there are many
variations on that theme and many different types of pies. I like
"chicken and mushroom" pies too. Most stews or casseroles that use
boneless meat and which don't have large chunky veges can be used as
fillings for pies. And of course, instead of individual pies, you can
make a large pie for the family. It should be a shallow pie, not a
deep one.
Kathy in NZ