Meatloaf Hand Pies, Cheddar Crust

For the cheddar crust:
Combine the flour, salt, cayenne, cheese and half the butter in the bowl of a food processor and process for approximately 10 seconds. Add the remaining butter, and pulse 2-3 times, until the butter is in pea-sized lumps.

Sprinkle the water and lemon juice over the top and pulse 4 or 5 times until the dough holds together when pinched.

Pour the mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap, gather and flatten it into a disc, wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days.

For the meatloaf:
Pulse the onion, carrot and celery in the food processor until finely minced, but not yet liquid. Combine this mixture with the remaining meatloaf ingredients in a medium bowl, and mix well with your hands. Divide into 6 equal portions. Store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.

Assemble the hand pies: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to soften, if necessary, for 10 minutes.

On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry into a rough circle about 1/8” thick. Slide a pastry scraper under the dough periodically as you roll it out to prevent sticking. Cut six 6” circles from the dough, then roll each circle to lengthen it into a slight oblong.

Pile 1 portion of meatloaf onto the bottom half of each oblong, leaving a 1/2” border to seal. Wet the bottom edge of the pastry with water, and fold the top half of the dough over to make a pie. Press, then crimp the edges to seal well, and with a sharp knife make a slit or hole on the top of each pie to vent the steam. Repeat with remaining pastry and meatloaf.

Chill the filled pies for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), and move the oven rack to the middle position.

Put the hand pies onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water. Brush the tops of the hand pies with the egg wash, then bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown, turning and rotating the pans halfway through.

Serve them hot with a salad for dinner. They also make great cold lunches or snacks. Addictive, actually.

Notes:
– To crimp the pie shut, you basically roll the edge of the dough under itself as you work left to right. See my blog for a video that gives the best angle of all the “how-to crimp a pasty” videos I watched. There’s no audio, but it’s clear what the cook is doing, even if it is a little trickier than her old hands make it look.