Pie Day 2014

Photo: Allrecipes.com

To celebrate Pi Day we invite you to try out Alaffia's West African Savory Pie. Let us know what you think!

West African Savory Pies

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Makes 10 Small Pies

Ingredients

·         1 1/8 cups self-rising flour

·         ½ tsp baking powder

·         Pinch of sea salt

·         ½ cup butter, softened

·         1 egg, beaten

·         1 egg, separated

·         4 tbsp water

·         1 large onion

·         1 red bell pepper diced

·         1 – 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped fine (omit seeds if you want less heat)

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 tbsp ginger

·         1 tsp cumin

·         1 tbsp red palm oil

·         ½ lbs. ground beef or tempeh

·         ½ tsp black pepper

·         2 medium potatoes

·         ½ cup chopped kale

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Dough:

1.       Add flour, baking powder, salt to a bowl then rub in the butter until a crumbly mixture is achieved.

2.       Beat the egg and add half to the flour and butter mixture with a wooden spoon. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough can be rolled into a ball.

3.       Lightly flour workspace and roll out the dough until it is just thicker than a nickel. Cut into 7” – 8” circles.

Filling:

1.       Dice onions and jalapenos, sauté in red palm oil until onions start to brown.

2.       Add ground beef and mash in pan with the back of a wooden spoon. Add ginger, cumin, black pepper, and garlic. Cook meat or tempeh until just starting to brown.

3.       Add diced red pepper and chopped kale, cook with meat or tempeh for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

4.       Boil water in a medium sized pot.

5.       Dice potatoes and add them to boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until soft.

6.       Drain potatoes and add to meat or tempeh.

Pies:

1.       Place about 2 tbsp. of the meat or tempeh in the center of the circle.

2.       Fold dough in half. Moisten edges of dough circle and pinch sides together with a fork.

3.       Light brush tops of pies with egg whites. Place on baking parchment and place in over for 25 minutes, or until slightly brown.

4.       Serve hot.