Hand pies are something I enjoy making. They are quite easy to make, and usually pretty quick, so they are served within an hour. Quite handy to have for a busy weekday dinner, or as a quick and light brunch item with a spicy sauce of your choice. Hot sauce pairs really well with the creaminess of the cheese, so you won't go wrong serving it as a dipping sauce. This particular hand pie goes well even with fresh salsa and sour cream, and even harissa. Serve with a favourite salad, and enjoy a quick and flavourful meal.
Ingredients:
For the parcels
400 grams goat cheese
150 grams smoked sausage
3 eggs
50 ml vegetable oil
200 grams plain yoghurt
100 ml whole milk
50 grams flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
14 phyllo (filo) sheets
For the glaze
50 ml vegetable oil
100 ml sparkling mineral water
Preparation:
Dice the smoked sausage of your choice (I used spicy smoked sausage) and sauté it in a dry skillet, over medium high heat, stirring quite often, so it doesn't burn. When the sausage is fragrant and cooked, remove it from the heat and drain off any fat. You can even put the sausage pieces on some kitchen paper. In a large bowl, crumble the cheese and whisk it a bit, just to crumble it even finer. Add the eggs and beat with an electric mixer on high, until completely creamy and combined. Add the spices, yoghurt, milk and the oil and blend really well. Finally, sift in the flour and the baking powder, add the sausage pieces, and blend with a wooden spoon or a spatula.
Separate the phyllo sheets and put a single sheet on your work surface, while keeping others covered with a damp kitchen towel, to keep them from drying out. Take about two tablespoons of the filling and place it in the centre of the phyllo sheet, then carefully spread it out as much as you can (you do not have to go all the way to the edges). Fold the phyllo sheet into thirds, then roll it up from the short side. Brush the seam with a bit of water, just to keep it sealed tightly. Repeat this with the rest of the sheets, then mix the glaze ingredients and brush the parcels evenly with the glaze. Arrange them on two baking sheets, lined with baking paper and bake them immediately in a preheated oven, at 190˚C (375˚F), for about 20-25 minutes. Yields 7 servings.
