STRAWBERRY HAND PIES

It's strawberry season here at StoneGable!

Oh, YUMMY!

Let's make a summer sweet treat... strawberry hand pies! These hand pies are so so easy to make and even easier to eat on the go!

Hand pies can be made with any in-season fruit... but strawberries ripe and ready now...

I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart's hand pie recipe. It's the best hand pie dough I have ever used. So easy!



STRAWBERRY HAND PIES
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in quarters
2 TBS sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
flour, for work space
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks) cut into small cubes
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
1 egg, lightly beaten
sanding sugar (or regular sugar)


Put strawberries, 2 TBS sugar, lemon peel and cornstarch in a bowl and stir to incorporate and set aside.

Add 2 1/2 cups of flour, salt, 1 tsp sugar and butter in the bowl of a processor. Whirl until mixture resembles coarse meals, about 8-10 seconds.

With the machine running, add the ice water (sans ice, please) in a slow stream through the feed tube. Pulse the dough just until it holds together. Do not add too much water or the dough will be sticky... and you don't want sticky dough. Squeeze a small amount of dough together and if it is crumbly add just a little more water.

Divide the dough in two and form into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare a work surface with flour.

I divided each plastic wrapped disc into 3 equal parts and rolled each out so that I could cut them out with a bowl that measured 5 inches diameter. This will make one hand pie.

I cut around the depression with a sharp knife.

Place 2 TBS of strawberries (try not to get too much juice with it) on 1/2 of each round.

Brush the egg wash around the edges of half of each round, and fold the rounds over to create half-moons.

Cut vents in the hand pies with a sharp knife.

Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle liberally with sugar.

Put the hand pies on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the crust is just golden brown.

Remover from oven and transfer the hand pies to a wire rack.

Eat warm... cold... or store them for up to four days in a airtight container.

They go quick... they are that good!

Recipes makes 6.

What favorite summer fruit would you fill a hand pie with?

Remember to