BasicsSide DishesVegan

Simple Roast Potatoes

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Simple Roast Potatoes

These potatoes are golden, crispy, delicious, super simple to make and they ever vegan so they are a real crowdpleaser. I love the simplicity of how just potatoes, salt and oil can be such a nostalgic and beautiful dish that works with just about any dinner tor roast.

Maris piper potatoes work the best for this as they crisp up nicely while staying nice and fluffy plus Maris pippers tend to be the same year-round so this makes them a reliable choice, and yes there are unreliable potatoes, King Edward potatoes also work wonderfully.

I like using rapeseed oil as it has no flavour and a very high smoking point, but any flavourless oil with work as long as it has a smoking point. Also, you want to lay the potatoes as flat as possible, use two trays if you must, because if they are overcrowded they will not get crispy.

Simple roast potatoes_pin

Simple Roast Potatoes

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Side Dish
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Baking trays

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 kg Maris piper potatoes
  • Salt
  • Oil Rapeseed oil

Instructions
 

  • Peel and chop the potatoes into even bite-sized pieces, I normally like to cut mine into quarters
  • In a large pot bring some water to the boil and add in 1 tsp of salt then parboil the potatoes for around 10 minutes or until they start to soften on the outside but are still not cooked all the way through
  • Once the potatoes are done drain them, add some salt and shake inside of the colander till the potatoes are fluffy on the outside this will make them crispy
  • Heat up enough oil to cover the bottom of the baking tray and place in an oven at (180 degrees celsius / gas mark 4 / 355 Fahrenheit) for a few minutes or until the hot is nice and hot
  • Carefully put the potatoes into the baking tray spread evenly and continue baking at the same temperature, turning over and shaking them every 10 – 15 minutes or so
  • Once they are golden brown, crisp and cooked all the way through your potatoes are ready, the baking time is usually 45 – 55 minutes
Keyword Potatoes
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DessertsDough and PastriesPies and Tarts

Apple Crumble Galette

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Apple Crumble Galette

Galette is a free form flat pastry made with a light flaky dough often puff pastry and can be either sweet or savoury, the most popular fillings are probably fruit. My version of an apple galette has a twist in the form a brown sugar pecan crumble and a delightfully sweet vanilla glaze. This recipe takes the classic French apple galette and the traditional British apple crumble and merges them to create a dessert unlike any I’ve had before.

A golden flaky pastry, tender sweet yet tart apples, cinnamon-spiced brown sugar crumble with crunchy pecans and sweet vanilla glaze. I prefer making my own pastry, I think puff pastry is a little too light to hold the rich flavours of this dessert, the dough is rich with butter and the addition of egg yolk gives it a nice elasticity.

My favourite thing about this galette is how it is like three different desserts in one, the edge tastes like a classic apple galette, the centre has a crisp apple crumble taste and texture with a thin pastry base and in between where the pastry ends I like to place some of the crumble underneath the dough giving you an almost apple cake-like consistency. The vanilla glaze adds a pinch more sweetness and a slight crispness once it sets as well as a ton of vanilla flavour.

I love using clementines to marinade the apples in especially at this time of year as it seems so Christmasy but oranges would work well. Peeling the apples giving a wonderfully smooth finish to this dessert and really helps to achieve the different texture profiles I had mentioned earlier.

The flavours in this galette are simply wonderful, sweet-tart bramley apples with a fresh clementine taste, spiced nutty sweet crumble, delicious sugary vanilla glaze all wrapped in a marvellous golden flaky pastry case, this truly is one of my favourite desserts.

Apple crumble galette_pin

Apple Crumble Galette

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dessert, Pastry
Servings 12 – 15 servings

Equipment

  • Baking tray
  • Rolling Pin

Ingredients
  

Galette Dough

  • 175 g cold butter
  • 205 g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • Cold water

Apple Filling

  • 2 medium bramley apples
  • 100 g caster sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • The juice of 2 clementines (or 1/2 a medium orange)

Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble

  • 75 g Butter (1/3 cup)
  • 75 g Plain flour (1/3 cup)
  • 75 g brown sugar (1/3 cup)
  • 75 g chopped raw pecans (1/3 cup)
  • 1 – 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • a pinch of salt

Vanilla glaze

  • 50 g icing sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 1 – 2 tbsp milk
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Galette Dough

  • Start by cutting up the butter into small cubes
  • Place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl or a food processor and bring it together till it has the texture of wet sand
  • Now, add in the water 1 tbsp at a time till the dough comes together fully and holds well, knead together into a round disc and wrap into cling film and chill for at least an hour

Apple Filling

  • Peel, core and slice the apples thinly
  • Mix well with the other filling ingredients and let this mixture sit for at least an hour

Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble

  • In a large bowl or a food processor place, all of the crumble ingredients besides the pecans and bring to together till you get a crumble like the texture or the consistency of wet sand
  • Then finely chop the pecans and add to the crumble mix

Assembling the Galette

  • Roll out the dough roughly but making sure that it is even all around and place the apples into the middle
    Tip: There might be a lot of liquid in the apples you don't have to add in all in though
  • Now, sprinkle the crumble on top covering the apples and then fold over the edges of the dough and seal of the pastry and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper
  • Egg wash and bake at (180 degrees celsius / gas mark 4 / 355 Fahrenheit) for around 40 – 60 minutes or until everything is well cooked and golden
  • Mix together all of the glaze ingredients well till its smooth
  • Once baked take the galette out on to a wire rack and let it cool completely
  • Finish by pouring over the glaze in a zig-zag pattern and enjoy!
Keyword Apple, Cinnamon, Dough
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Side DishesSundries and ExtrasVeganVegetarian

Shallot + Garlic Green Beans

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Shallot + Garlic Green Beans

Delicate shallots and savoury garlic with rich olive oil and salty butter make these beans an irresistible side dish that works with just about any dinner. I love using fresh green beans for this dish but frozen also work well the trick is not to overcook them they should be tender but not mushy.

  • Shallot garlic green beans
  • Shallot garlic green beans

For the full dinner link here:

Holiday Dinner 2020

The white and black pepper add a depth to this side dish, using sea salt is a must as it gives a wonderful salty briny taste that works well with the fresh clean flavour of the green beans.

Shallot + Garlic green beans_pin

Shallot + Garlic Green Beans

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Side Dish
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 350 g green beans (you can use frozen if fresh are not avalible)
  • 1 medium shallot chopped
  • 1 – 2 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Top tail and clean up the green beans
  • Heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil and saute off the shallots and garlic on a medium heat then add in the beans and saute for a few more minutes
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste then add 1/2 – 1 cup of hot water depending on how soft you prefer your beans to be
  • Bring to boil and then to a simmer, pop in a lid and cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until the beans are tender and well cooked
  • Turn the heat up and stir fry everything together for a couple of minutes adding in a tbsp of butter and now they are ready to serve
Keyword Beans, Garlic
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Side DishesSundries and ExtrasVegan

Glazed Maple Soy Carrots

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Glazed Maple Soy Carrots

Gorgeously sweet, salty and spicy carrots the maple and soy give these carrots such a unique flavour profile and add a subtle stickiness. This is great a side dish to any dinner and is so quick and easy to make.

I love cutting the carrots lengthwise and then cutting along diagonal creating bite-sized pieces, that have personalty and hold the flavours so much better this way. The addition of chilli flakes really adds to the dish and gives a lovely background spiciness.

Glazed maple soy carrots_pin

Glazed Maple Soy Carrots

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Side Dish
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 – 7 medium carrots
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1 small white onion chopped
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Chilli flakes to taste
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce

Instructions
 

  • Peel and cut the carrots lengthwise and then diagonally into small bite-sized pieces
  • Heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and saute off the onions and garlic
  • Next, add in the carrots and fry those off for a couple more minutes, then add in salt, pepper and chilli flakes to taste saute for a few more minutes
  • Deglaze the pan with soy and then maple and pour in about a cup of hot water bring to boil and simmer with a lid for about 18 – 25 minutes or until the carrots are cooked but still vibrant
  • Saute off the rest of the water so that you have a glaze type sauce covering the carrots and now you're ready to serve

Notes

– You can use frozen garlic if you prefer 
– You can also leave out the chilli flakes if you don’t enjoy spicy food
Keyword Carrots, Maple
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Comfort foodDips and SaucesLamb

Lamb Raan Recipe

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Lamb Raan Recipe

Raan is a traditional south Asian dish said to go back to 300 BC. when Alexander the Great captured the Indian King Porus in battle when Porus was asked how he would like to be treated he replied “like a king” Alexander released King Porus and they became friends. A special banquet was served to celebrate their newfound friendship and this gorgeous leg of lamb was the star of the show. This is truly a dish fit for royalty!

It is perfectly spiced, full of flavour tender meat, that just falls of the bone and is perfect to serve on special occasions.


This year I decided to serve it for the holidays, for all the trimmings, bells and whistles check out my holiday dinner post here:

Holiday Dinner 2020

This stunning dish gets its name for the Urdu word raan, which means the thigh or the hind leg of an animal, traditionally made using goat. I prefer lamb as it has a mild flavour, tenderizes beautifully, cooks well and is generally a great size for about 6 – 10 people. We want to trim the fat off but not completely, as this will flavour our meat and realise the joint where the lamb shank connects, I usually do this myself but you can absolutely have a butcher do it for you.

The lamb leg I used was around 3kg, which I’d say is pretty standard however I’ve made a chart so that you can adjust the marinade if needed

Marinade per 1kg of meat:

  • 3 – 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 inch of fresh ginger
  • 1/3 cup natural yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/8 tsp smoked sweet paprika
  • 2/3 tsp ground cumin
  • 2/3 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 2/3 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1/3 tsp extra hot chilli powder
  • 1/3 heaped tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/3 heaped tsp ground white pepper

In this marinade, we use yoghurt because it quicky and efficiently tenderizes the meat without making it mushy, as it would get in an acidic marinade and it holds the marinade together really well while helping everything stick to the lamb. Another twist I’ve added to this recipe is ketchup and maple syrup, the ketchup when cooked gives a wonderfully savoury sticky, tangy flavour, and the maple has a sweet, smoky, rich flavour which brings out the flavours of the spices if you don’t have maple on hand you can absolutely substitute with sugar.

Another thing to consider when making this dish is the size of your pan, you want to be able to lay down the entire leg to lay flat on the pan if you don’t have a big of a pan you can ask your butcher to cut the leg in half. Raan cooks longer than a usual roast leg of lamb, I’d recommend at least an hour per kg turning every half an hour or until a knife goes all the way through and the meat is falling off the bone.


You want to also make sure you keep adding in water as needed after you’ve sealed off the meat.

Now, my final twist to this dish is making a gravy with what’s left in the pan after we’ve cooked the lamb and let me tell you this gravy pairs beautifully with the raan, savoury, full of flavour and a breeze to make. Basically, there will be some oil, sauce and liquid after the lamb is done and resting, we start by deglazing with water then frying in some onions once the onions have fried for a couple of minutes we transfer this mixture to another pan and cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes then adding in vegetable bouillon and boiling water, bring to the boil and then to a simmer for a while and adding a cornflour and water mixture when you are happy with the flavour, finally strain and serve with the lamb.

Lamb Raan Recipe_pin

Lamb Raan + Gravy

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 15 – 18 servings

Equipment

  • Carving forks
  • Large pan
  • Large bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 1 leg of lamb (mine was 3kgs)
  • 1 bulb garlic (crushed)
  • 1 thumb sized piece ginger (crushed)
  • 1 cup natural yoghurt
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp smoked sweet paprika
  • 2 heaped tsp ground cumin
  • 2 heaped tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 heaped tsp extra hot chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup

Gravy

  • 1 medium white onion chopped
  • 2 tsp vegetable boullion
  • Water
  • 1 – 2 tbsp cornflour

Instructions
 

  • Start by trimming most of the fat and releasing the joint between the leg and lamb shank or have a butcher do this for you
  • Then score diagonally about 1/4 of an inch across the leg of lamb
  • Grind the garlic and ginger into a fine paste and put into a large bowl
    Tip: You can use frozen ginger and garlic if you are in a pinch
  • Add all of the marinade ingredients and mix well
  • Massage the marinade into the lamb making sure it is fully covered, and place into a large bowl cover leave at least overnight or for up to 2 days (the longer the better!)
  • If you don't have a bowl big enough you can apply layers of cling film and then a couple of layers of foil just make sure that it is sealed on all sides
  • In a large pan cover the bottom with some oil and once it is hot carefully place in the lamb, seal and brown well on one side and then gently flip to the other and repeat this should take around 8 – 10 minutes each side
    Tip: use two carving forks to flip the meat over but please be careful
  • Now, add in a cup of boiling water and pop on a lid bring it to a low simmer and let the meat cook for about 1 hour per 1kg or until the lamb is tender and falling off the bone this should be around 3 – 4 hours depending on the size of your leg of lamb
    Turn the lamb every 30 – 45 minutes or so and have a kettle pre-boiled to add water as needed, don't let the pan dry out!
  • Once a carving fork can easily be inserted and the meat is starting to separate from the bones, then turn the heat up and brown off the meat for a couple of minutes on each side until the meat is a dark brown and you have a sauce-like consistency left in the pan
  • Take the meat out of the pan and let in rest for about 15 – 20 minutes while we make the gravy

Gravy

  • In the pan throw in one chopped white onion and fry off for a minute or two, then deglaze the pan with a cup of water and transfer into another pan
  • Saute the onions for a few minutes until it starts to thicken then add in the bouillon and about 1 1/2 – 2 cups of hot water and bring to the boil for a minute or two then bring it down to a simmer lets it cook and come together for around 7 – 10 minutes
  • Once the flavours have melded together we need to add in our corn flour that has been mixed with about 3 – 4 tbsp of cold water into the gravy a tablespoon at a time till the gravy has reached the desired thickness
  • Now the gravy has thickened taste and season if needed then strain and skim the oil on the top and the gravy is done and the lamb should be ready to serve
Keyword Desi, Lamb
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Lamb+potato-hand-pie
Dough and PastriesLambPies and Tarts

Lamb + Potato Hand Pies

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Lamb + Potato Hand Pies

The light flaky pastry that has a tender crumb, filled with wonderfully seasoned lamb mince, tender potatoes flavourful onions all in a petit golden brown package. These hand pies are out of this world good and so enjoyable to make, I love to serve these with endless cups of tea and ketchup, yes I know ketchup sounds weird but trust me the sweet-salty tangy tomato flavour works amazingly well with these gorgeous pies.

Lamb+potato-hand-pie
Lamb+potato-hand-pie

This dough is crisp, light, flaky, bakes extremely well and works amazingly well with so many different kinds of fillings, and is a snap to make. These remind me of traditional cornish pastries but smaller and lighter but just as delicious. You can make this dough a couple of days in advance if needed.

Lamb+potato-hand-pie

I like to cook the potatoes a little more than I would in a normal filling recipe because when the potatoes cook in the oven they mush slightly and have a wonderful cornish pasty like softness and this adds a lovely subtle creaminess to the dish. Adding the white onions in with the potatoes later in the dish means that the mixture stays moist without the addition of a lot of fat, there is a lot of butter in the dough so if there is a lot of fat in the filling then the pies will become greasy and leak out of the pastry and no one wants that.

Lamb+potato-hand-pie

The method for making the pies:

  1. Roll out the dough to about the thickness of a coin
  2. Cut out circles of dough with a large mug or cookie cutter
  3. On one side of the circle put about a tablespoon of the filling 
  4. Dab a little water on the edge and close the pastry
  5. Seal off the edge with a fork and prick a couple of times to release steam
  6. Egg wash and place on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper (You can use foil if you’re in a pinch!)
  7. Bake at (180 degrees Celsius / gas mark 4 / 275 Fahrenheit) for 20 – 25 minutes flipping the tray halfway through cooking time until the pies are golden brown and well cooked
Lamb+potato-hand-pie
Lamb+potato-hand-pie

If you have leftover filling as I did you can make this amazing grilled cheese sandwich that I made here :

Grilled-cheese
Grilled-cheese
Grilled-cheese

This is also a great recipe for any kind of leftover pie, lasagna or pastry fillings!

Lamb+potato-hand-pie

I recommend making the savoury pastries in a crescent shape as this holds the savoury fillings a lot better and gives a beautiful crisp edge to the pies, you’ll get roughly 25 hand pies and they freeze well and bake up nicely, just remember to egg wash them and freeze them flat and spaced well. You can scrape up the dough after you’ve cut out the pies and knead it back together and continue the process to finish the dough. This recipe is super fun to make, freezes well and is a joy to eat, enjoy!

Lamb+potato-hand-pie_pin

Lamb + Potato Hand Pies

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Servings 25 pastries

Equipment

  • Pastry brush
  • Cookie-cutter or large coffee mug
  • Baking trays
  • Potato Masher

Ingredients
  

Hand PIe Dough

  • 250 g butter (1 cup)
  • 2 (275g) cups plain flour (plus extra for dusting and kneading)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup ice-cold water (I normally use about a 1/4 cup)

Lamb and Potato Filling

  • 500 g Lamb mince (1/2 kg)
  • 1 chopped medium shallot
  • 2 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 medium chopped white onion
  • 2 large maris piper potatoes (peeled and chopped into cubes)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic granules
  • 1/2 tsp onion salt
  • 1/2 tsp celery salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
  • 1/4 tsp smoked sweet paprika
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • water

Egg wash

  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp milk

Instructions
 

Hand Pie Dough

  • Start by cutting the cold butter into small cubes
  • In a large mixing bowl mix the dry ingredients and add the butter and egg yolk, have a cup of ice-cold water with a tablespoon ready but don't use the water yet!
  • Start to incorporate the butter and flour mixture together until it has a crumble like consistency / the consistency of wet sand.
    You can do this by hand or using a food processor
  • Now add a tablespoon of water at a time until the dough starts to come together. I normally use about a quarter of a cup but, every time you make this the amount of water will probably change, so go slow and steady
  • Place the dough onto a clean surface and knead with a bit of flour until the pasty is not sticky and well combined and soft and form into a round disc
  • Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least an hour
    Take the pastry out of the fridge 20 – 30 minutes before rolling out

Lamb and Potato Filling

  • Heat up about 2 – 3 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and brown the shallots and garlic on a medium heat
  • Add in the lamb mince and brown well for about 5 – 10 minutes, once browned use a potato masher to break up the mince finely
  • Continue by adding in the spices, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce stir well. Then pour in one cup of hot water, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes or until the water has dried up and the lamb is well cooked
  • Now on a high heat fry the potatoes and onions into the lamb mixture, add in about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of water or until the potatoes are just covered and cook for 15 – 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the water has reduced
  • Now on a high heat fry the mixture for a couple of minutes so that there is no water, take out the bay leaf and the mixture is now done, taste and season if necessary
  • Let it cool completely, you can store this in the fridge for a couple of days if you choose

Making the Pastries

  • Cut the dough into quarters and roll the dough to about the thickness of a coin on a floured surface
  • Use a round cookie cutter or a large round mug to cut out circles of dough
  • Put about a tablespoon of the lamb mixture onto a circle of dough more to one side, dip your finger into water and run them around the rim of the pastry and seal it closed
  • Properly seal the edge with a fork and prick to release steam and egg wash and place onto a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper
  • Bake at (180 degrees Celsius / gas mark 4 / 355 Fahrenheit) for 20 – 30 minutes or until golden brown and crisp
  • Repeat with the rest of the dough and mixture until one of the other runs out, you can take the scraps of pastry and knead it together and continue the process

Notes

– These are great served with ketchup or relish
– You can seal the edges with your fingers if you prefer
Keyword Lamb, Pastry
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dough
BasicsDough and PastriesPies and Tarts

Savoury Hand Pie Dough

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Savoury Hand Pie Dough

dough

Hand pies are circular or crescent shaped pastries popular in the south of the US, they are typically be baked or fried. They can be filled with sweet or savoury fillings, anything from lamb mince to apple pie filling, all in a flaky crisp crust.

Dough

This recipe is for savoury hand pies, it uses more butter than the sweet hand pie dough this isn’t as dry since savoury fillings tend to be drier I usually use fresh fruit in sweet hand pies. The addition of egg yolks gives the dough an elasticity makes it easier to form the pastries.

Lamb+potato-hand-pie

I love using my hands to make this dough but a food processor can really come in handy here if you are using a food processor make sure to use the pulse setting for a smoother dough. It is extremely important to use cold butter and cold water when making the pastry to make sure the pasty stays flaky and light.

Dough

Some of my favourite savoury hand pie fillings:

I recommend making the savoury pastries in a crescent shape as this holds the savoury fillings a lot better and gives a beautiful crisp edge to the pies, you’ll get roughly 25 hand pies and they freeze well and bake up nicely, just remember to egg wash them and freeze them flat and spaced well. You can scrape up the dough after you’ve cut out the pies and knead it back together and continue the process to finish the dough.

Lamb+potato-hand-pie
dough

This dough is crisp, light, flaky, bakes extremely well and works amazingly well with so many different kinds of fillings, and is a snap to make. These remind me of traditional cornish pastries but smaller and lighter but just as delicious. You can make this dough a couple of days in advance if needed.

dough
Savoury-hand-pie_pin

Savoury Hand Pie Dough

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Pastry
Servings 25 hand pies

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g butter (1 cup)
  • 2 (275g) cups plain flour (plus extra for dusting and kneading)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 cup ice-cold water (I normally use about a 1/4 cup)

Instructions
 

  • Start by cutting the cold butter into small cubes
  • In a large mixing bowl mix the dry ingredients and add the butter and egg yolk, have a cup of ice-cold water with a tablespoon ready but don't use the water yet!
  • Start to incorporate the butter and flour mixture together until it has a crumble like consistency / the consistency of wet sand.
    You can do this by hand or using a food processor
  • Now add a tablespoon of water at a time until the dough starts to come together. I normally use about a quarter of a cup but, every time you make this the amount of water will probably change, so go slow and steady
  • Place the dough onto a clean surface and knead with a bit of flour until the pasty is not sticky and well combined and soft and form into a round disc
  • Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least an hour
  • Take the pastry out of the fridge 20 – 30 minutes before rolling out for pies, pastries of whatever takes your fancy
Keyword Dough, Pastry
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Sweet-hand-pie
DessertsDough and PastriesPies and Tarts

Blueberry Hand Pies

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Blueberry Hand Pies

These hand pies are little morsels of happiness; deliciously fruity, wrapped in a light flaky pastry and topped with a sunshine sweet vanilla glaze, I think these might be one of my favourite pie recipes ever and they are so delightful to make. You have to try this recipe It’s a no brainer.

Sweet-hand-pie

The amount of sugar used in the filling will change each time you make this recipe I was lucky to have some gorgeously sweet blueberries this year though that isn’t always the case, I would always recommend trying the fruit before making the filling as this gives a gauge on how much you’d like to sweeten it. If you’re in a pinch you could use frozen berries, just add a little more sugar as they tend to be more on the sour side and mash the berries after the mixture has marinated for a while, you could also use a little extra cornflour if needed.

Sweet-hand-pie
Sweet-hand-pie

I love using my hands to make this dough but a food processor can really come in handy here if you are using a food processor make sure to use the pulse setting for a smoother dough. It is extremely important to use cold butter and cold water when making the pastry to make sure the pasty stays flaky and light.

Sweet-hand-pie
Sweet-hand-pie

The method for making the pies:

  1. Roll out the dough to about the thickness of a coin
  2. Cut out circles of dough with a builders mug or cookie cutter
  3. On one side of the circle put about a teaspoon of the filling 
  4. Dab a little water on the edge and stack on another pastry circle and press the edges together
  5. Seal off the edge with a fork and prick a couple of times to release steam
  6. Egg wash and sprinkle with a little granulated sugar
  7. Place on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper (You can use foil if you’re in a pinch!)
  8. Bake at (180 degrees Celsius / gas mark 4 / 275 Fahrenheit) for 15 – 20 minutes flipping the tray halfway through cooking time until the pies are golden brown and well cooked
Sweet-hand-pie
Sweet-hand-pie

Now, let’s talk vanilla glaze, which is simply icing sugar, vanilla and a little milk; While this may seem like a simple addition and it is this
takes these hand pies to the next level and adds a pastry shop danish like quality that I just adore. Imagine, light crisp flaky pastry, baked to perfection filled with perfectly sweetened fresh blueberries with a little tartness to it, and topped with a sweet vanilla icing that has an ever so slight crunch to it. I hope you enjoy!

Sweet-hand-pie
Blueberry-hand-pie_pin

Blueberry Hand Pies

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Dessert
Servings 15 – 16 pastries

Equipment

  • Cookie-cutter or builders mug
  • Pastry brush
  • Baking trays
  • Grease proof paper

Ingredients
  

Hand Pie Dough

  • 125 g butter (1/2 cup)
  • 205 g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp caster sugar

Blueberry Filling

  • 200g blueberries
  • 2 – 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 – 2 tsp cornflour

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp milk

Vanilla Glaze

  • 1/2 cup icing sugar (50g)
  • 1 – 2 tbsp milk
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla paste

Instructions
 

Hand Pie Dough

  • Start by cutting the cold butter into small cubes
  • In a large mixing bowl mix the dry ingredients and add the butter and egg yolk, have a cup of ice-cold water with a tablespoon ready but don't use the water yet!
  • Start to incorporate the butter and flour mixture together until it has a crumble like consistency / the consistency of wet sand.
    You can do this by hand or using a food processor
  • Now add a tablespoon of water at a time until the dough starts to come together. I normally use about a quarter of a cup but, every time you make this the amount of water will probably change, so go slow and steady
  • Place the dough onto a clean surface and knead with a bit of flour until the pasty is not sticky and well combined and soft and form into a round disc
    Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least an hour
  • Take the pastry out of the fridge 20 – 30 minutes before rolling out

Blueberry Mixture

  • Mash the berries roughly with a fork, if you are using frozen berries let them defrost first and drain any excess liquid before mashing
  • Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and vanilla then add in the cornflour and mix thoroughly making sure that there are no lumps of cornflour left in the mixture
  • Now, cover and let the filling sit for at least an hour in the fridge to meld the flavours together, dissolve the sugar and thicken the mixture
    You could leave this mixture in the fridge for up to a day if desired

Vanilla Glaze

  • In a bowl mix together all of the ingredients
  • Whisk thoroughly so that there are no lumps and set aside until needed

Making the Pastries

  • On a floured surface cut the dough into quarters and roll the dough pretty thin or to about the thickness of a coin on a floured surface
  • Use a round cookie cutter or a round mug to cut out circles of dough, two circles per hand pie
  • On one circle of dough put 1 teaspoon of the blueberry mixture, dip your fingers into water and run them around the rim of the pastry and place on another circle of dough
  • Seal the edge with a fork and prick three times to release some steam and egg wash, then sprinkle with some granulated sugar
  • Bake at (180 degrees Celsius / gas mark 4 / 355 Fahrenheit) for 15 – 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp
  • Let the pies cool and then top in a zig-zag pattern with the vanilla glaze, once the glaze sets the hand pies are ready to eat

Notes

– You will need extra flour for rolling out, kneading and dusting
– You can use frozen berries if fresh blueberries are not available
– Make sure to taste the berries before making the filling in order to gauge how much sugar if required
Keyword Blueberry, Pastry, Pie
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Sweet hand pie dough
BasicsDessertsDough and PastriesPies and Tarts

Sweet Hand Pie Dough

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Sweet Hand Pie Dough

Hand pies are circular or crescent shaped pastries popular in the south of the US, they are typically be baked or fried. They can be filled with sweet or savoury fillings, anything from lamb mince to apple pie filling, all in a flaky crisp crust.

Sweet hand pie dough

This recipe is for sweet hand pies, a slightly sweet flaky dough that can be made in a flash. This dough is a bit drier and crumblier than most sweet doughs and the addition on the egg yolk adds an elasticity to the dough that makes it super easy to form. The dough is crisp, flaky and crumbly, which lends very well to the fresh fruit filling.

Sweet-hand-pie

Some of my favourite sweet hand pie fillings:

I love using my hands to make this dough but a food processor can really come in handy here if you are using a food processor make sure to use the pulse setting for a smoother dough. It is extremely important to use cold butter and cold water when making the pastry to make sure the pasty stays flaky and light.

sweet hand pie dough

If you make the pastries in circles, you’ll be using two discs of pastry per pie and make roughly 15 – 16 of them, and you would want to roll out the dough a little thinner. If you choose to make them into crescent shapes then the dough can be a little thicker and you’ll get round about 20 – 25 hand pies.

Sweet-hand-pie
Sweet-hand-pie_pin

Sweet Hand Pie Dough

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Pastry
Servings 15 – 16 hand pies

Ingredients
  

  • 125 g butter (1/2 a cup)
  • 1 1/2 cups plain flour (205g)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Start by cutting the cold butter into small cubes
  • In a large mixing bowl mix the dry ingredients and add the butter and egg yolk, have a cup of ice-cold water with a tablespoon ready but don't use the water yet!
  • Start to incorporate the butter and flour mixture together until it has a crumble like consistency / the consistency of wet sand.
    You can do this by hand or using a food processor
  • Now add a tablespoon of water at a time until the dough starts to come together. I normally use about a quarter of a cup but, every time you make this the amount of water will probably change, so go slow and steady
  • Place the dough onto a clean surface and knead with a bit of flour until the pasty is not sticky and well combined and soft and form into a round disc
    Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least an hour
  • Take the pastry out of the fridge 20 – 30 minutes before rolling out
Keyword Dough, Pastry
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Soup
Side DishesSoups and StewsVegetarian

Roasted Tomato Soup

by Hunar Baig
written by Hunar Baig

Roasted Tomato Soup

This soup is comforting, simple to make, delightfully flavoured and uses minimal ingredients. Cherry tomatoes on the vine are best for this recipe but any sweet tomatoes will do, the more red and ripe your tomatoes the sweeter and more full-flavoured the soup.

Soup
Tomatoes and garlic

I love using fresh herbs and garlic with lashings of extra virgin olive oil, I think it adds a real richness to this dish. The woody rosemary and peppery basil work wonderfully with the sweet tomatoes and savoury garlic, but feel free to use parsley, thyme, oregano or any other herbs of your liking.

tomatoes
Tomatoes

This recipe calls for sour cream for a tangy, fresh taste but single cream also works well if you prefer less of a sour taste, also sugar is very important to balance this recipe as cooking tomatoes brings out the citric acid in the fruit.

Tomato Soup
Soup

Finally, to finish off this soup we have crunchy, crispy, sage croutons that elevated this dish and add some great texture and flavour.

Soup
Soup - pin

Roasted Tomato Soup

Hunar Baig
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Soup

Ingredients
  

Soup

  • 500g cherry tomatoes
  • 3 – 4 cloves fresh garlic
  • A handful fresh basil
  • A few sprigs of rosemary
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Sugar to taste
  • A splash of worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp sour cream
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Crispy Sage Croutons

  • 100g Bread (sourdough is best)
  • A gulg extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 sprig sage
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat an oven to 180 degrees celcius
  • In a baking tray add in the tomatoes, garlic, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, toss together and place in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until the garlic is soft
  • While the tomatoes are cooking, cut the bread into cubes and mix well with rest of crouton ingredients
  • Once the tomatoes are done, turn the oven down to 170 degrees celcius and put the croutons in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and crispy
  • Put everything (besides the rosemary) into a blender and blend until smooth
  • Add in the sour cream, sugar, worcestershire sauce and mix well
  • If the consistency is too thick you can add in some hot water to thin it out a little
    Once blended taste and season if needed
  • Pour the soup into a bowl, pile on the crotons and a drizzle of olive oil

Notes

– If you prefer a chunkier soup simply blend less
– You can use a hand blender if you prefer
– Adjust the amount of sugar, based on how sweet the tomatoes are
 
Keyword Soup, Tomato
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