Nebraska Handheld Meat Pies Recipes

MEAT PIES

Steps:

• For the crust: Put the frozen rolls on a baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let thaw and rise for 2 to 3 hours.
• For the filling: Add the oil to a large skillet and set it over medium heat. Cook the peppers and onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic, then cook for another minute. Transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside.
• Put the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the beef and cook, breaking up any lumps. Add the chili powder, cumin and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and 1/4 cup water and stir until combined. Mix in the cooked vegetables. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool. When the meat is cool, add the cheese and parsley, then season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• To form: Roll out each dinner roll on a lightly floured surface into a 4-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Put 1 1/2 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the center of each circle. Brush around the outside of the circles with the egg wash and fold over the dough to form half-moon shapes. Press the edges together and crimp them with a fork. Put on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash.
• Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

PASTIES (HANDHELD MEAT PIES)

Steps:

• Brown meat with onion soup mix and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Peel, dice, and par-boil potatoes and carrots.
• Add potatoes, carrots, and peas to meat and mix.
• Roll out pie crust to about a 6" circle.
• Add ½ to 1 cup of the meat mixture to the pie crust.
• Brush a little water to one edge of the pie crust.
• Gently fold the crust over and seal with a fork or your preferred method.
• Place the pasties on an un-greased cookie sheet and brush with egg and cut two or three vent holes.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.

NEBRASKA HANDHELD MEAT PIES

Steps:

• For the dough: Whisk together the warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a small bowl. Set aside until the yeast activates and becomes foamy on top, about 10 minutes.
• Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter melts. Allow to cool to less than 115 degrees F.
• Whisk the flour, salt and remaining sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the foamy yeast mixture and cooled milk mixture. Turn on the mixer to knead the dough for about 5 minutes. The dough should be a smooth uniform ball that no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in a warm area until the dough doubles in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• For the filling: In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Brown the beef, stirring and breaking it up into small pieces, about 5 minutes. Once browned, transfer to a bowl and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium, add the cabbage, onions and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. Add the browned beef back to the skillet, stir it together with the cabbage and onions for 5 minutes. Add the white pepper and additional salt if needed. Take off the heat and set aside to cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and divide it into 10 equal-size balls, about 3 1/2 ounces each. Roll a ball into a rectangle, roughly 6- by 8- inches. Spread 1/2 cup of the cooled filling in the center of the rectangle. Bring the two long sides of dough together so the seam is facing up and pinch them together. Pinch the short ends shut as well. You should have a rectangular shape. Put the filled dough seam-side down on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining 9 balls and the filling. There should be 5 pies per baking sheet. Cover the meat pies with a dish towel and allow them to rest for about 20 minutes. Bake in the oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• While the pies bake, melt the butter. As soon as the meat pies come out of the oven, brush the tops with the melted butter and serve with ketchup.

MIDWESTERN MEAT PIES

Steps:

• Place 1-3/4 cups flour and the sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Heat the milk, water and shortening to 120°-130°. Pour over flour mixture; add the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low until blended. Beat an additional 3 minutes on high. Stir in the remaining flour; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes., Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain. Add the cabbage, salt and pepper; cook until cabbage is wilted., Punch dough down; roll into twelve 6-in. squares. Top each square with 1/3 cup meat mixture. Fold into triangles. Pinch edges tightly to seal, and place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.