Craving something hearty and delicious? These three homemade pie recipes bring bold flavours wrapped in golden, flaky perfection.
Spinach and feta hand pies
Makes 8 // Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup butter
½ cup water
2 cups cake flour
400g spinach, steamed
4 wheels feta, crumbled
Method
- Bring the butter and water to boil over high heat. Remove from the stove and add the flour. Whisk until fully combined and the dough forms. Allow to cool.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface and cut out 8 x 10cm rounds.
- Mix the spinach with the feta and divide it between the pastry cases. Place the filling on one side and fold over to create a half-moon, pressing the edges down to seal. Freeze.
- When ready to eat, defrost in the fridge overnight. Arrange on a lined baking tray and bake at 200°C for 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Recipes & styling: Leila-Ann Mokotedi
Photography: Jotham van Tonder
Chicken enchilada pie
Serves 6 // Cooking time 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the filling
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 chicken breasts
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp origanum
1 Tbsp flour
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream
For the shell
4 large flour tortillas
Vegetable oil, to brush
1 cup grated Cheddar
Method
For the filling
- Fry onion and garlic until golden. Add chicken, stock and spices. Boil for 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and the stock has reduced.
- Remove the chicken from the pot. Add the flour and cook until the sauce is thickened.
- Remove from the heat and cool, then add eggs and sour cream. Mix well.
- Shred the chicken into small pieces. Add the pulled chicken to the reduced sauce.
For the shell
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a large pie tin.
- Arrange 3 tortillas in the tin, overlapping slightly to cover the base and the sides. Spoon in filling and sprinkle with cheese.
- Place 1 tortilla on top to cover and press down gently. Cut a cross in it to let the steam out. Brush with oil. Bake for 20 minutes.
Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za
Beef and leek pie with a black pepper shortcrust pastry crust
Serves 6–8 // Cooking time 2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
For the black pepper shortcrust pastry
290g butter, cubed
4 cups flour
2 tsp cracked black pepper
¾ cup cold water
1 egg, whisked
For the beef and leek pie filling
2 Tbsp butter, for frying
1 garlic clove, crushed
5 leeks, finely chopped
1 Tbsp grated ginger
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom
500g beef chuck, cubed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 cups beef stock
Method
For the black pepper shortcrust pastry
- Use your fingers to rub the butter, flour and black pepper together until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
- Add the water and bring together until a dough forms.
- Lightly knead into a ball. (Do not overwork, or it will lose its ‘shortness’.) Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a square pie tin or casserole dish.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 5 mm thick.
- Cut the dough in half. Press one half into the bottom of the pie tin. Roll the leftover dough into a ball and refrigerate. Blind bake the shell for 5 minutes.
For the beef and leek pie filling
- Fry garlic and leeks for 5 minutes. Add the spices, then the beef, tomatoes and stock.
- Roast in the oven for 1 hour, until beef is tender. Pull beef apart and mix with 2 tsp flour.
- Roll out the remaining dough. Spoon the filling into the pastry shell and top with the dough. Crimp the edges with a fork.
- Brush with egg wash and bake for 35 minutes.
Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za
