These savory vegetarian hand pies are stuffed with roasted tomatoes, onions, green olives and feta cheese and are incredibly satisfying. The crust is very forgiving and can be rolled and re-rolled two or three times and still stay flaky. Be sure to let the dough chill for a good 2 hours or overnight before forming the pie crust. An extra 15 minutes in the fridge, while you pre-heat the oven also helps keeps the pie crust flaky.
Course Appetizer, lunch, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword olives, onions, pie, tomato
Prep Time 1 hourhour
Cook Time 1 hourhour
Chilling time 2 hourshours15 minutesminutes
Servings 10Pies
Calories 375kcal
Author Irvin
Ingredients
Crust
2 2/3cupsall-purpose flour375 g
1 1/2teaspoonsbaking powder
3/4teaspoonkosher salt
3/4cupunsalted butter, cold170g or 1 1/2 sticks
8 to 11tablespoonsice water
Filling
1 1/2lbsRoma tomatoes, sliced 1/2-inch thick about 6 to 7 medium-sized
2medium yellow onions, sliced 1/2-inch thick
4tablespoonsCalifornia extra virgin olive oil
3teaspoonskosher saltdivided
3teaspoonfresh ground black pepperdivided
1/2cuppitted green olives, cut in half lengthwise, 70 g or 2 1/2 oz
1/2cupcrumbled feta cheese80 g or 2 3/4 oz
2tablespoonchopped Italian parsley leaves
1tablespoonfresh thyme leaves
To finish
1large egg yolk
1tablespoonwater
Black and white sesame seeds or nigella seedsoptional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with 1 tablespoon olive oil.Make the crust by placing the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl. Stir with a balloon whisk until blended. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and sprinkle over the dry ingredients. Using your fingers and hands, first toss the butter in the flour then smash the butter into thin slivers, breaking them up as you go.
When the butter has been broken and flattened into small bits the size of peas, drizzle 8 tablespoons of water over the dry ingredients. Toss with a fork, then use your hands to blend the water in. Keep working the ingredients until they start to stick together. If the dough seems too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary.
Once a dough forms, place it on a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk, about 1-inch thick. Wrap well with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the dough is chilled throughout. You can make the dough the day before and chill overnight.
While the dough is chilling, place the sliced tomatoes on one of the roasting pan and onions on the other. Drizzle with the tomatoes and onions with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper over each the tomatoes and the onions, using 1 teaspoon total of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.Once the tomatoes and onions have roasted (they should look a little dry on top, but still be juicy) let them cool on the pan about 20 minutes.
Once the dough has chilled and the tomatoes have cooled, line two clean baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.Cut the chill dough in half. This will make the dough easier to handle.
Roll out one half of the dough to about an 8 inches wide and 16 inches tall rectangle on a clean floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. You should be able to cut out 3 6-inch rounds pieces if you stagger the circles. Gather scraps and re-roll to get a 4th circle. Repeat with the other half getting 4 circles. Re-roll any remaining scraps to get a 9th and possibly 10th circle.
Beat the egg yolk and water together to form an egg wash. Place one round in front of you and place a few roasted tomatoes and some cooked onions on one half side of the dough. Add some olives, feta cheese, parsley and thyme over the tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over the filling. Brush the half of the edge of the round of dough that has the filling.
Fold the other half over on top. Seal with a fork. Then move the hand pie to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining hand pies and filling.
Brush with the egg wash over the top of the pies and sprinkle with some sesame seeds and/or nigella seeds. Place pans in the refrigerator for 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 400°F.Once the pies have chilled, bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown. You may want to rotate the pans for even baking. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes once done, then move to a wire cooling rack to cool further. Best enjoyed while still warm.