Ham Leek Hand Pies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do I stop my hand pies from leaking? ›

Don't overfill hand pies, or they'll burst at the seams. Save any leftover filling for another use -- or another round of hand pies. Before folding the pastry around the filling, brush edges with water or a mixture of 1 tablespoon water and 1 egg white. This will help strengthen the seal.

The leek pie is the showstopper. The sliced leeks are sautéed in butter and lardon—cubed pork fat, oftentimes made from pancetta. You then add cheese and cream to the leeks and transfer the mixture into a buttery piecrust and bake.

A hand pie is basically a miniature pie that fits in your hand. It can be sweet or savory and is made by placing a small amount of filling onto a circular (or rectangular) piece of pie dough, folding the dough over and sealing it shut before baking. You'll be shocked how much easier they are to make than an actual pie.

After blind baking the crust, we brush the baked crust with a lightly beaten egg white before adding the filling. The egg white seeps into the crevices, and the residual heat from the hot crust cooks the egg to create a seal.

Experiment with different thickeners beyond flour — we love Instant ClearJel. Vent the pie's top crust so steam from the juice can escape. For even better evaporation, try a lattice crust or crumb crust. Bake pie thoroughly; let it remain in the oven for at least 10 minutes after its juices begin to boil.

We traditionally trim the green tops off leeks and throw them away, but the thick leaves are perfectly edible and have just as much if not more flavour than the milder, pale end. Often referred to as a super food, leeks are high in flavonoids, vitamins A, E and K, and fibre.

Leeks Nutrition

They're a good source of vitamin K, which may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis, in addition to aiding in blood clotting for wounds and supporting heart health. They're high in fiber, which helps promote regularity and a healthy digestive system.

The humble hand pie goes by many different names: Call it a pasty, a turnover, an empanada, or whatever you like — the crowd-pleasing filled pastry is always welcome on any table.

With strong ties to Cornwall, England, the pasty (pronounced pass-tee not paste-tee) is a folded pastry (often known as a hand pie) traditionally filled with a savory mix of meat and veggies.

An empanada is a type of hand pie that is usually made up of a combination of meats, vegetables, and cheese contained in a flaky dough. Though empanadas are common in Latin America and Spain, most other countries have their own version of hand pies. Samosas, turnovers, and Jamaican patties are just a few examples.

How to keep pie crust from leaking? ›

Brush the Bottom with Corn Syrup or Egg White

Adding a layer of corn syrup or a slightly beaten egg white before pouring in the filling will form a seal between the pie dough and the filling and will help make the crust crisp and flaky.

The reason for this is because the more holes you put in the pie crust, the more room the filling has to seep through them later, creating a soggy bottom.

Make Sure the Pie Filling Is Hot

As the pie finishes baking in the oven, remove it when the meringue turns light brown. Removing the meringue before it has finished cooking can cause condensation. At the same time, don't overcook it, which can also cause weeping.