Step away from the butter tarts..
I promised my Facebook friends to post this recipe before New Year’s Eve. These little pockets of heaven are so easy to make and very popular with the guys.. I made a savory Tourtiére Recipe last year, so when I saw these little hand pies over at Simple Bites, I knew I had to try them! If you have left-over Tourtiére filling, they’re so quick and impressive looking. I cooked up a new batch of filling just so I could bake these little ones.. and it was so worth it. Recipes like this are awesome for visitors on Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve house parties because they can be made ahead and served hot right from the oven.
This filling makes a full recipe so you could cut it in half.. or freeze the left-over filling for another time… or buy more puff pastry and make more Tourtiére Pies!
Tourtiére Hand Pies
2013-03-17 12:41:00
1 pound (450g) ground pork
1/2 pound (225g) extra-lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp savory
2 pinches ground cloves (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper
6 tablespoons (50g) spelt (or regular) fine bread crumbs
1 box puff pastry dough, defrosted
egg, beaten for brushing
In a large bowl, mix thoroughly the pork, beef, onion, and just the seasonings.
Pour 1/2 cup of water into a large saute pan. Heat until water just begins to boil then add the meat mixture. Cover and continue to simmer until the meat is cooked. Lift the lid occasionally to break apart any clumps. Uncover and continue to cook until all liquid is absorbed. This should take about 20 minutes.
Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the heat and stir in the fine bread crumbs. Check the seasonings and allow to cool completely.
Roll out the puff pastry until it is about 1/8″ thick, using enough flour to keep the rectangle from sticking to the counter. It should be just thick enough that you can still “handle” the squares and won’t tear when filling. Score in 3″ squares, mine made 4 x 6 squares.
Spoon a small (quite small) amount of filling into the center of each square.
Lightly brush the two sides with beaten egg, fold over on a diagonal and press closed with a fork to make it pretty!
Refrigerate for half an hour before baking. Alternatively, cover and pop into the freezer until frozen. Transfer to a freezer bag or air-tight container and store frozen until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place pastries on a silpat or parchment covered baking sheet. Brush the tops with beaten egg.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until pastries are golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperatures.
Just a Smidgen http://justasmidgen.com/
Roll out the puff pastry until it is about 1/8″ thick, using enough flour to keep the rectangle from sticking to the counter. It should be just thick enough that you can still “handle” the squares and won’t tear when filling. Score in 3″ squares, mine made 4 x 6 squares.
Spoon a small (quite small) amount of filling into the center of each square.
Lightly brush the two sides with beaten egg, fold over on a diagonal and press closed with a fork to make it pretty!
Refrigerate for half an hour before baking. Alternatively, cover and pop into the freezer until frozen. Transfer to a freezer bag or air-tight container and store frozen until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place pastries on a silpat or parchment covered baking sheet. Brush the tops with beaten egg.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until pastries are golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperatures.
I’m so happy to have all of my Christmas decorations up to savor, without the added stress of Christmas preparation and shopping. It feels like -26°C outside today, but it’s sunny enough for a walk… but this guy just isn’t interested… I think he got into the butter tarts, too.
If you’re headed out to the mall today..
God help you bless you!
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by Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
These look delicious and there are so many fillings you can do too! Thanks for sharing – Have a Great One:)
They are scrumptious! In Brazil, we would call those “pasteis”, although the dough would not be puff pastry, but still…
Loved the photo of your pup, ours are acting about the same way, or when they need to go out they go and want to rush back inside in 5 seconds tops!
Enjoy your beautiful home and decorations, and have a fantastic end of 2012….
Hi, Sally!! Isn’t this just the best time of day.. everyone’s asleep:D and it’s almost 11 am, haha! I hope you had a great Christmas?!
I was thinking that too.. maybe Mexican next time:) I hope you have a great Christmas Day! xx
I love this idea, hand pies!! I would make mine with apples and cinnamon because I am a dessert junkie! Bless the souls that venture to the mall!
Merry Christmas Barb! I’ve been contemplating making tourtiere… these may have tipped the scales
D’you know, I could manage these! And somebody gave me a lovely gingernut, creme fraiche and strawberry pud recipe the other day. Should I surprise everybody (me included!) for New Year?
It was murky here today so we went strolling the riverside in Durham. The Mall? Quelle horreur! Happy New Year Smidge, in case I don’t get back to you before then.
Mmmmmm, thank you for this recipe, Barb. I love these little guys! Perfect snack….for when all these Christmas cookies are gone. Your doggie looks like I feel, from my current sugar coma
Thanks again! Hope you had a nice walk today 
I really enjoy hand pies, Barb, and these sound tasty. I bet they’d be great for a party setting. No one looks good fumbling with a plate, appetizer, fork and cocktail. On the other hand, give me a small pie for my left hand and a drink for my right, and I’ll be a bon vivant, schmoozing with the best of them, just as one would expect me to be.
To put it another way, what a great recipe!
I hope you’re having a great Boxing Day.
These look gorgeous, Barbara! Hope you and yours are having a great holiday season…
My son went to the Boxing Day sales for the first time ever and he vowed ‘never again’. Hated it. Sales seem to bring out the worst in people. The name of these pies is not familiar to me but I’m sure I’ve seen something similar. I think these would be an excellent pass-around dish and the spices would bring great flavour to the meat filling xx
Exquisite and delicious! I am going to try this soon; love it!
I love your dog. No mall for me either
Yours look so appetizing! They are second cousins to our pirukad/piroshki [spell them however you will, but you make them much more elegantly], whereas ours tend to be the marriage of yeast pastry and deep frying!! Happy end of the year and may Father Frost not get you
!
These remind me of British pasties. I love those things but I’m terrible at making my own crust.
I love tourtiere (haven’t made it in far too many years) and these little pies are genius! Definitely would be lovely at New Year’s with some bubbly ( of course, I recommend bubbly with pretty much everything at New Year’s!).
I stayed in today and just began to regain my senses following a whirlwind of activity!
Happy to be home and warm! I love this recipe, Smidge. And I actually think I could follow this closely and come close to your pretty hand pies! That you’re still creating and not just in a pile of exhaustion has me quite impressed! 
What a great idea Barbara, I’ve never made tourtiére but I have made empanadas before, and I can see the similarities. You’ve inspired me to make some in the new year.
We drove to Niagara on the Lake for a few days and are in the middle of our first winter storm; fortunately it’s not as bad as predicted and it’s definitely not -26! There is a good wind chill though!
Stay warm.
These look perfect to have on hand for surprise visitors
These sound faboulous and as soon as I read that they guys would like this, I thought Sunday football food!! My son will love these and so will I!
Lovely post packed with fab photos. The dog on blue is top:)
Gorgeous savory goodness! Happy holidays, Smidge! X
Excellent – you’ve almost got a mince pie flavour going on there – they used to be made of lamb and cooked with fruit and spices
Extremely delicious looking hand pies!
Lovely little hand pies! This would be perfect to share at New Years Eve!
No malls for me this week! Gosh, I remember how much I used to love doing that when I was a teenager.
These hand pies are delightful Smidge. I can see why the would be a hit. I love a good savory pie and a hand pie is even better. Happy New Year!
Really lovely bites! I love the idea of pies, as they are so versatile!
Beautiful photos as usual Barbara! Love the pies, so delicious looking! I’ve nominated you an award here: http://foodiebaker.com/2012/12/29/gratin-of-potatoes-martha-stewart-and-an-award/
Hope you’ll like it, take care!
Gorgeous pies like little empanadas – and as for your gorgeous pup…well, I think mine know how he feels!
[...] Tourtiere Hand Pies from Just A Smidgen: These little hand pies sound so flavorful with beef, pork, onions, garlic and warm spices. I love handheld food and this is something I really need to make soon. My mouth is watering just looking at them! [...]
These look so yummy! I love recipes like this. My husband is a huge fan of pies and this will be a new one to try. Thanks for the recipe Smidge! Hope you had a lovely Christmas and enjoy your New Year
I hear hand pies will be the new cupcake soon…lol…love these! I hope you had an amazing Christmas!
I make a similar pastries with a curry filling an call it curry puffs. Like you title. Wishing you and your family all the best for 2013.
Beautiful creations and shots, young lady!
was so busy this Christmas I could not even stop by and wish you happy festivities. well, in time to wish you Happy New Year! love love love the pictures on this post.
Curry would be just so delicious! Is this recipe on your blog??
Now, that would be fantastic.. and a nice change from sweet cupcakes.. hmmm… maybe an apple hand-pie should be next on my list:D xx
It was hectic for sure with the unexpected loss of our friend.. but we’ve really come closer with each other, celebrating the important people in our lives, and not just at Christmas.. I hope you had a lovely Christmas as well.. have you got special New Year’s plans?? xx
Haha.. pups sure find Christmas a bit hectic, don’t they? Funny, he always remembers his stocking and can’t wait to nose into it:D I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!! xx
You are so sweet Jasline. I always feel so fortunate when a fellow blogger and talented foodie nominates me for an award. Thanks so much! I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas!! xx
That’s just what I’m thinking..
xx
Thanks.. they weren’t as perfectly shaped but tasted just as good:D
Happy Holidays to you too! I can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to!!! xx
Now.. I think you should whip up a batch with your ingredients and share the recipe with us, those sound fantastic!
Well, thanks so much! I hope you had a great Christmas with your family! I’ve so missed reading your blog, I can’t wait to catch up! Happy Holidays!!
Isn’t it just the best after so much frantic activity? It’s really the simplest recipe and pretty versatile. I’ll be experimenting with this one:) Happy Holidays!! xxx
Oh.. some bubbly right now would be awesome as well;D
The frozen puff pastry really makes these a snap.. I’ve never made puff pastry from scratch, it does sound super challenging! xx
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and having a wonderful restful holiday this week?? xx
I hope you are as well.. I can’t wait to just sit and catch up on all of my blog reading.. it’s been far too busy and too long since I’ve visited!! xx
Merry Christmas to you too, Korena, and to your family as well!! xx
Now that is a pie I need to make soon!! xx
Very nice recipe, looks similar to the Philippine empanada.
Anyways Have a Prosperous New Year to you and your family!
Hand pies! That is a lovely term and I have never heard it before, we would call those pasties I guess and reading through the comments it would seem that we all have different names for these or similar! I particularly love your photo of all the squares neatly cut and waiting serenely to be filled, Gorgeous work Smidge xx
Phew! That makes it less daunting then! xx
No, it is not. I will try to get to it in the not too distant future.
Great photos, great recipe! I haven’t had these for years. Now, of course, I’m starved for them! Good stuff – thanks. And Happy New Year!
They look like lovely little bites of goodness.
I’ve spent a long day at work today (feeling a bit like how your dog looks actually) and I could do with a plate of these right now! They look amazing. Love the spice combination. Lovely photos too.
Wow these look pretty amazing! Love tourtiere
i think the fork trick is simple and beautifully result..
thx for sharing…..
now i know thy my pastry puff are easily leaked when cooked…
These look so good, thank you for sharing!
Can I have one pls? Yummy!