Name: Savory Beef and Vegetable Hand Pies Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 medium white onion, finely diced; 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced; 1 rib celery, finely diced; Salt, to taste; Black pepper, to taste; 4 cloves garlic, pressed; 1 pound ground beef (85/15 lean to fat); 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning; ½ teaspoon white pepper; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 ¼ cups beef stock or broth; 1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced (¼ – ½ inch cubes); 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves; 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley; ¼ cup green peas; 2 (17.3 ounce each) packages frozen puff pastry sheets (4 sheets total); 1 egg, whisked for egg wash; Flaky salt, optional garnish

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Introduction

These savory hand pies are a perfect comfort food, combining flaky puff pastry with a rich, flavorful beef and vegetable filling. They make a great snack, appetizer, or a satisfying meal any time of day.

The image shows two golden-brown rectangular pastries with a shiny, flaky crust on a piece of brown parchment paper. One pastry is whole, topped with small green herb sprigs scattered on it. The other pastry is cut open, revealing a layered filling inside with textures and colors of cooked ground meat mixed with small orange carrot pieces and bits of green herbs. Behind the pastries, there is a small white bowl filled with fresh green herbs, and part of a brown tray with more pastries blurred in the background. The surface under the parchment paper is dark but changed to a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium white onion, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
Salt
Black pepper
4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
1 pound ground beef (85/15 ratio lean to fat)
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 level tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups beef stock or broth
1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced into ¼ -½ inch cubes
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
¼ cup green peas
2 (17.3 ounce) packages puff pastry sheets, frozen
1 egg, whisked for egg wash
Flaky salt, optional garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Gather and prep all ingredients, keeping puff pastry sheets frozen until filling is nearly cooled.
Step 2: Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper; sauté until softened.
Step 3: Add garlic and cook until aromatic. Then add ground beef, Italian seasoning, white pepper, salt, and pepper. Crumble and cook until beef is no longer pink.
Step 4: Stir in tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to blend well.
Step 5: Add beef stock and diced potatoes. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender and sauce thickens, about 25-35 minutes.
Step 6: Stir in thyme leaves, parsley, and peas. Adjust seasoning if needed. Let filling cool completely.
Step 7: Thaw puff pastry sheets at room temperature for 40-45 minutes. If they thaw before filling, refrigerate them.
Step 8: Roll each pastry sheet to 10 by 10 inches. Cut into four 5-inch squares. Place squares separated by parchment paper on a tray.
Step 9: Place about ½ cup of filling onto the center of half the squares, forming a rectangular mound with space around edges.
Step 10: Wet edges of filled squares with water, top each with an unfilled square, and seal edges using a fork. Trim excess edges to form neat parcels.
Step 11: Transfer hand pies to parchment-lined baking sheets. Cut 2-3 small slits on top of each for steam vents.
Step 12: Freeze hand pies for 15-20 minutes to chill.
Step 13: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Step 14: Brush hand pies with egg wash, sprinkle with flaky salt if using, and bake for 24-26 minutes until deep golden brown.
Step 15: Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving to allow filling to set and prevent burns.

Tips & Variations

Use ground lamb or turkey instead of beef for a different flavor.
Add a bit of grated cheese inside for extra richness.
If you don’t have fresh thyme, substitute with ½ teaspoon dried thyme.
Freeze assembled pies uncooked for up to one month; bake directly from frozen adding a few extra minutes to baking time.
To make vegetarian version, replace beef with cooked lentils or chopped mushrooms.

Storage

Store leftover hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to keep the pastry crisp. You can also freeze baked pies for up to 1 month and reheat from frozen at 350°F for 20 minutes.

How to Serve

A close-up view of five golden brown square meat pies with flaky crusts sitting on brown parchment paper atop a baking tray, each pie topped with small green herb leaves scattered lightly. One pie is cut in half revealing a dense, finely minced brown meat filling inside, showing two layers: the outer crust layer with a shiny, crisp texture and the inner moist meat filling. The edges of the pies are crimped, and small slits on top allow steam to escape, with a few herbs sprinkled around the tray. The background features a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use fresh puff pastry instead of frozen?

Yes, fresh puff pastry works fine. Just keep it chilled until ready to roll and assemble to maintain its texture.

How can I prevent the puff pastry from getting soggy?

Make sure the filling is completely cooled before assembling the pies to avoid steam making the pastry soggy. Also, baking on a parchment-lined sheet at high temperature helps keep the crust flaky.