MEAT PIE

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg plain flour (All Purpose Flour)

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 500g Margarine

• 2 pinches salt

• ½ cup or 125 ml cold water

For the filling

• 2 medium Irish potatoes

• 2 medium carrots

• 500g minced meat

• 1 medium onion

• 2 cooking spoons vegetable oil

• 2 Knorr cubes

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 2 tablespoons plain flour

• 1 cup or 250 ml cold water


METHOD

For the Meat Pie Filling
• Peel the Irish potatoes ,scrape the carrots, wash and cut these two into tiny cubes.

• Wash and slice the onions into tiny pieces.

• put a clean pot on your cooker or stove,set to medium heat, pour the vegetable oil in the pot, add the diced onions and stir for a bit,

• add the minced meat and stir vigorously till the minced meat turns pale.

• Add 1 cup of water, Knorr cubes and thyme.

• Cover the pot and once the contents of the pot starts boiling, add the diced carrots and potatoes and stir till everything is well cooked.

• Dissolve 2 tablespoons of plain flour in half cup of cold water and add to the meat pie filling. (This tip is so that the meat pie filling does not dry up during baking. It is also what keeps the meat pie filling moist.)

• Add salt to taste, stir the contents and turn off the heat.

• Set the meat pie filling aside.

prepare the doughl

• Put the 1 kg of flour in a sizeable bowl;

• add 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 2 pinches of salt.

• Mix these dry ingredients very well.

• scoop the margarine in small bits into the bowl of flour.Use your finger tips to rub in the margarine into the flour till the mix becomes like crumbs.

• add the cold water in bits while at the same time folding the mix till a stiff ball of dough is formed (all you need for the 1 kg of flour is half a cup of water.)

• Knead the dough very well, put back in the bowl and leave to rest for 5 to 7 minutes. This makes the dough more elastic.

• Cut, Fill, Fold and CloseSet your oven to 170°C (335°F) and leave to preheat while you continue with the meat pie.

• Rub margarine on the insides of the oven tray and set aside. This is so that the undersides of the meat pies do not burn or stick to the tray during baking.

• Break the egg, beat it and set aside.

• Knead the dough some more, roll it out to achieve a 5mm thickness.Use a cutter, be it the cover of a small pot or a meat pie cutter, to make round cuts on the rolled out dough.

• Remove the excess dough, leaving behind the round cuts.

• Scoop some meat pie filling into the center of the round cuts, the quantity should be such that you can comfortably close the dough without overflows.

• Rub the egg on the inside edge of the cut meatpie dough.

• Fold one part of the dough to meet the other end and use a fork to press the 2 edges together to close tightly or a meat pie cutter.

• Place in the oven tray and repeat the previous step till all the cut out dough is exhausted.Roll out more dough, cut, fill, close and place in the greased oven tray till all the dough is used.Rub the egg on the meat pies.(this gives the meat pie a golden brown look when baked)

• Set the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. This time will depend on the type and heating capacity of your oven. For some ovens, the meat pie will be baked in half an hour, for some, it may take up to 50 mins.vake at medium heat.

• You can confirm that the meat pie is fully baked,when it starts browning. It is alright to open the oven to check this.

NOTE
you can use 1/2 or more of the above mentioned ingredients to make your desired quantity of meat pie.