Pasties are hand pies filled with a savory filling. Sloppy Joe Hand Pies have a sweet, tangy, spicy meat filling wrapped in flaky pastry. These hand pasties are fun, filling, and great for dinner!
1pound(454grams)ground beef, ground turkey, or a meat substitute
1cup(52grams)onions, minced
½cup(75grams)bell peppers, minced, about 3 to 4 baby peppers or ⅓ large bell pepper
½teaspoon(.5teaspoon)kosher salt
3(3)garlic cloves, minced
1tablespoon(15grams)tomato paste
1teaspoon(1teaspoon)chili powder
⅔cup(160grams)ketchup
⅓cup(79grams)water
1tablespoon(15grams)light brown sugar
1teaspoon(1teaspoon)prepared mustard, either brown or yellow mustard
½teaspoon(1teaspoon)Worcestershire sauce
¼teaspoon(1teaspoon)red pepper flakes, optional
¼teaspoon(1teaspoon)black pepper
dash(dash)hot pepper sauce, optional
1(1)large egg white, plus 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Instructions
Prepare the crust: Prepare the sourdough shortcrust pastry dough and chill while you prepare the filling.
Prepare the filing: Heat the ghee in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown the ground beef in the skillet, breaking up any clumps, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander and drain away the accumulated liquid.
Add the onion and bell pepper to the same skillet. Sprinkle the salt over the onions and bell peppers and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and chili powder and cook for another minute until the vegetables are well coated and the tomato paste has darkened slightly.
Return the ground beef to the skillet and stir it into the vegetable mixture. Add the ketchup, water, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes (if using), black pepper, and hot pepper sauce (if using). Stir well to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened. If the mixture is getting too dry, add water in 1 tablespoon increments. Adjust the seasonings for sweetness and spice as desired.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the filling to cool while you roll out the pastry.
Assemble the pasties: On a lightly floured surface, roll the shortcrust pastry out to ¼-inch thickness (about the height of two stacked quarters). Turn the pastry as you roll to avoid it sticking to your surface.
Use a 6-inch round cookie cutter to cut out six circles of dough, re-rolling the dough as needed.
Whisk the egg white and water together for the egg wash.
Place about 3 tablespoons of dough onto half of a dough circle. Brush the edges of the circle with the egg wash using a pastry brush. Fold the other half of the dough circle over to seal in the filling, pressing the edges together well. Crimp the edges by pressing with the tines of a fork, or create a decorative rolled edge if you’re feeling creative. Cut three slits in the top of the pasty to allow steam to escape while baking.
Chill the pasties for 30 minutes to firm up the pastry. While the pasties are chilling, preheat the oven to 400 °F. Line a half sheet baking pan with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper.
Brush the top of the pasties with the egg wash, then place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Storage instructions: Cooled hand pies can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container, for up to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze baked hand pies until firm on a cookie sheet, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in an airtight bag. Defrost overnight to thaw, then rewarm at 350 °F for 5 to 10 minutes or until hot.
Make-ahead instructions: You can make the filling and pastry ahead of time and assemble into pasties when you're ready to bake them.Assembled unbaked pasties freeze well. Allow them to freeze until firm on a cookie sheet, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in an airtight bag. When you’re ready to bake, brush them with the egg wash and place on a baking pan. Bake at 375 °F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. No need to defrost! That's dinner sorted!
Recipe Notes
If you prefer, you can substitute my basic shortcrust pastry recipe, prepared without sugar, instead of the sourdough shortcrust. Or, store bought pie dough is fine, too.If don’t have a 6-inch round cookie cutter, cut circles out with a small paring knife using a small dinner plate as a guide. I find that 6-inch circles are great for meal-sized pasties. For a fun party-style appetizer pasty, use a 4-inch round cookie cutter instead. Reduce the filling to about 2 tablespoons, making sure you can get seal the edges well.Leftover filling can be frozen for traditional Sloppy Joes or more pasties. For traditional Sloppy Joes, toast hamburger buns and fill with filling right after it has simmered (or warmed from defrosting). Serve hot and enjoy!