“Hand Pie” – I love that concept. It’s like a full sized pie, but now you can eat it for breakfast, or snack, or dessert. And it’s perfectly acceptable because it comes in a mini takeaway sized pastry pocket. And I always forget – it’s got about 30% whole wheat flour – so, it’s basically a health food.
In all seriousness, this is a recipe that we’ve made countless times over the last several years, and I almost never manage to store any. Our family devours them. Whether we fill them with blueberries, apples, or any other seasonal fruit, there’s something magical about the super crispy, ever-so-slightly savory crust.
And don’t get me started on the joy of being able to toss some sourdough discard in the mix. Pure joy. Tossing a bit into the dough not only lets you refresh your starter, but it adds a subtle depth that makes these hand pies even more irresistible.
In my usual fashion, it’s taken me WAY too long to share this recipe with you, but I am thrilled to be doing it now. I so hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Blueberry Hand Pies with Sourdough Discard Cheddar Crust
Ingredients
For the Sourdough Discard Cheddar Crust
- 380 g all purpose flour
- 190 g whole wheat flour I use fresh milled soft white wheat
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 230 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 180 g cold leaf lard, cut into 1/2 inch chunks keep in the freezer till ready to use
- 90 g sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 230 g 100% hydration sourdough starter discard (doesn't need to be fed) *If you don't have starter handy, just sub 115g flour + 115g water
- 60-80 g vodka or water
For the Blueberry Filling
- 250 g (1 pint) fresh or unthawed frozen blueberries
- 3 Tbsp (40g) caster sugar
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp grated lemon zest
Egg Wash & Topping
- a dash of milk or cream
- 60 g coarse sugar (I use turbinado)
Instructions
Prepare the Crust
- In a food processor (or bowl, if you prefer to do this by hand), pulse to combine the flours, sugar, and salt.
- Then, pulse in the butter, lard, and cheese until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs the size of peas.
- Add the starter and vodka (or water), and pulse just until the dough comes together.
- Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together. Divide it in four, and shape into four roughly equal rectangles.
- Wrap each rectangle in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
Prepare Blueberry Filling
- In the meantime, prepare your filling: in a medium saucepan, combine about 3/4 of your blueberries (190g), the caster sugar, cornstarch, and salt, and stir together with a wooden spoon. Set over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the blueberries start to soften.
- When to mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat, and add remaining blueberries and lemon zest. Stir to combine, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Assemble the Hand Pies
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare your egg wash by whisking the egg and milk or cream thoroughly in a small bowl.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of pastry dough at a time (leaving the others in the fridge) to roughly 1/8inch thickness. With a 3.5inch cutter (I just use my crumpet rings), cut out as many circles as possible, and lay them on a parchment paper. Re-roll your pastry as needed.
- Repeat this process with all your pastry dough. Set half of your dough circles spaced at least 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Add about 2 Tbsp of blueberry filling to the center of half of your dough circles, and brush the surrounding edges with egg wash.
- Lay the remaining circles of dough over these, and press the edges with a fork.
- Brush the tops with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and cut a small "x" in the center for steaming.
- Set in the fridge for 15 minutes, more if you are working in a warm environment. This will ensure the crispiest, flakiest finish.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Enjoy!
Notes
- You will have extra blueberry filling – it makes a wonderful topper for yogurt, pancakes, you name it.
- These pies store wonderfully for several days in an airtight container, or make a wonderful freezer breakfast option. Reheat from frozen in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes.
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