Baking has always been pretty intimidating for me. I made these mince curry meat pies for the first time for Mummy Laz’s quarantine birthday and it was much easier than expected. This has become a staple in our home – we whip it up for appetizers or even an easy handheld lunch. I’ve shied away from baking for years, but now I’m excited about all the new pastry dishes I can make!
How to Make Mince Curry Meat Pies
First, we will need to prepare our filling. Cook the ground beef/mince curry as directed in the link, except this time you will not use any whole spices. Nobody wants to bite into an unexpected clove or star anise! I prefer to dice the potatoes quite small – or omit them – so they are evenly distributed through the filling. Set the completed mince in the fridge until you are ready to form the meat pies. The filling is easier to work with once cooled.
Next, we will prepare the pastry. I use store-bought puff pastry sheets for simplicity and it has always turned out great. Roll out the pastry dough a bit and divide the sheet into three strips. You now have two options. For each pie, you can cut two equal rectangles which will create the top and bottom of the pastry. The other option is to cut one larger rectangle and fold in half over the mince filling. In the video, we show both techniques, but the folding option is easier for me.
Once your pastry is cut to your preferred size, add the mince. Using a tablespoon, add a small amount of mince filling into the cut rectangle pieces. For the first technique, lay the second piece of pastry over the filling and seal the edges using a fork. For the second technique, add mince to one half of the rectangle, fold the other half over, and then seal the edges using a fork.
Next, we will prepare the pies on a tray for baking. Line a baking tray with wax paper and spray with cooking spray. Carefully transfer the pies onto the tray. Brush milk onto the pies to help them brown nicely and remain soft.
I like to use a heat resistant cooking brush like this
Finally, bake the pies for around 20 minutes at 390˚ F or until golden brown. Let the pies cool for at least 10 minutes before biting into it. These can be eaten warm or cold. Enjoy as is or with your favorite hot sauce on the side.
Mince Pies
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked mince curry
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Use a rolling pin to lightly roll out your puff pastry
- Using a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry into rectangles for 9 pies. You can either cut 18 smaller halves or 9 larger pieces which can be folded
- Using a tablespoon, fill your cut pastries with about 2 tbsp of mince curry filling. Be sure to leave enough room to fold and seal the pies
- Use a fork to firmly press the edges of the pastry together to seal each pie
- Line a baking tray with greased wax paper. Transfer pies to the wax paper and using a kitchen brush, lightly coat the top of each pie with milk. This allows the pies to brown but keeps them soft
- Bake the pies at 390F for about 25 minutes or until golden brown
