Raspberry Hand Pies
These were another treat inspired by the berries from the farmers market. (Sorry! I am sure this blog will be so saturated with berry recipes for a while!). I wanted to be able to serve pie to my guests without the mess and plate/silverware fiasco of a traditional pie. There is something wonderful about being able to grab one of these little pastries in a napkin and eat it almost as though it were a cookie. They are also surprisingly fast and easy to make, so don’t be intimidated!
The result is a slightly flaky, (but also slightly sturdy out of necessity) pastry pocket filled with very fresh raspberries that are only slightly broken down through cooking. Very juicy, very cute and very summery!
Pastry Dough
2 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp of salt
½ cup butter, very cold and cut into pieces
1/3 cup ice water
1 Pint raspberries (2 cups)
¼ cup sugar
Dash of cinnamon
2 Tbs of butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 egg
Sugar
In a small bowl, add the raspberries, ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon. Gently toss the berries and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a food processor add the Flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine and then add the butter. Pulse until the dough resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water a little at a bit and pulse until the dough comes together.
Empty the dough onto a sheet of wax paper. Gently press the dough into a disc, wrap it in the paper and chill for about 10 minutes.
Cut the dough into 6 pieces, and roll each piece of the dough into two balls. You should have 12 evenly sized dough balls when you are done.
Take two small sheets of wax paper and roll out each ball in between the sheets of wax paper. Use a 4” round cookie cutter to cut out evenly sized circles. Place them on silpat lined cookie sheets. In the end you should have 12 dough circles.
Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat it well. Use the egg-wash to lightly brush the edges of each dough circle. On 6 of the dough circles, gently spoon a few tablespoons of the berry and sugar mixture onto the center of the dough.
Place one of the pats of butter on top. Place one of the remaining 6 dough circles on top, and lightly pinch the sides together. Use a fork’s tines to press the sides firmly together, making a strong and decorative seal on the pie.
I used a sharp pairing knife to lightly cut the stars onto the top, but you could also just cut a few little holes to release steam.
Lightly brush the top with some of the remaining egg wash and generously sprinkle each pie with sugar.
Bake the pies at 375 for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool some
before serving!
Enjoy!
And I can’t help myself- these pictures are of Pia making her own “tiny pies” as she call them. I strongly recommend you take your kids into the kitchen and cook with them. It is great bonding time and they will learn new things everyday…
I was the lucky girl who got to try these delicious little hand pies…divine!!! I’ll be making these at home soon!!!
We’re hitting the farmer’s market this weekend for fresh blackberries – we’ll have to give your little pies a try! (And, can I say I’m relieved to see your Silpat looks worn? I think Martha Stewart uses a new one for each project on her show and I was worried that I had missed the boat on how to keep them pristine! But it’s like a good cast iron pan – perfect means they aren’t loved or used!)
That is right! My silpats are beyond loved, more like worshipped! And I put them in the dishwasher. But I have to admit, I was just thinking I might need to buy some new ones!
By the way- taste your berries,and maybe adjust the sugar. My mom made these and had to use like 1/2 cup sugar because the raspberries were soooo tart. Have fun!
I’m going to make these for my dads birthday next week- perfect sweet treat to take to our picnic!
Can you make these ahead of time? Would you suggest storing them in the fridge or freezer? They would work well for the 4th of July! Thanks for the recipe.
When, not if, I make the berry pies, I know that they will disappear quickly. Burp! There is no way I would share these little delights until I know I’ve mastered the recipe. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!