Turkey Chili Hand Pies

Hand pies are part of a growing trend of old-becomes-new-again recipes taking the country by storm. At their most basic, they are sweet or savory fillings in pastry or pie dough, small enough to be held in the hand for on-the-go enjoyment. These hand pies make the most of leftover turkey from your holiday roast, blending meat, tomato, cheese and spices into a zesty, flavorful filling surrounded with an incredibly flaky crust. Before you know it, you'll want one for each hand!

Hands-on: 35 to 40 min | Bake: 20 to 30 min
Total: 2 hr 30 min | Yield: 8 to 24 pies, depending on size

Ingredients

• One recipe Quick Flaky Pastry OR your favorite pie dough
• 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can ground tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste, as needed

Instructions

1. Prepare your flaky pastry or pie dough recipe and set aside to chill for at least 30 minutes. This can be made the day before if desired. Keep chilled until ready to use.
2. Prepare the turkey chili. Begin by sautéing the onion and garlic in a small amount of water or oil. When the onion begins to turn opaque, stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
3. Continue to sauté for 1 minute, until the mixture is very fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cooked turkey, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the cheese and check for consistency. If the chili seems on the wet side, add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste to thicken it up. As a filling, it will need to be slightly thicker than regular-in-the-bowl chili. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat, transfer to a large bowl, and place in the fridge until cooled.
6. When you're ready to bake, heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll the crust 1/4 inch thick and cut circles with a biscuit cutter or other round cutter. You can cut any size up to 6 inches.
7. Depending on the size of the circle, place a few tablespoons of cooled chili to the left of center, then fold the crust over the chili to make a half-moon shape. Use a touch of water to seal the seam, and press firmly with a fork to complete the seal.
8. Place several hand pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 30 minutes, again depending on the size of the pies. When done, the crust will be golden all over and sizzling.
9. Serve hot with fresh salsa, salsa verde, sour cream, and your other favorite toppings.

Notes

Recipe and photo used with permission from: King Arthur Flour