MAKES 6 HAND PIES
I’m sorry, are you still using a plate to eat your pie? Get with the Instagram trend, ditch the plate, and bake your pies as handheld units! So-called hand pies are just what they sound like: a generous, hearty slab of pie crust filled like a DIY Pop-Tart.
Cooking the pies on the Baking Steel on a parchment sheet ensures that you get a bottom crust that is crispy, never gummy. Filled with a classic apple-pie filling, these pies may not be traditional in form but they fit the bill in the flavor department.
1 ball pie dough (from Savory Galette recipe, here; if making the dough just for hand pies, see note about sweetening your dough)
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
4 or 5 medium McIntosh apples, peeled and chopped
100 grams (4 tablespoons) brown sugar
5 grams (2 teaspoons) ground cinnamon
½ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
36 grams (3 tablespoons) cornstarch
3 tablespoons water, cold
1. Make the crust in advance using the dough recipe from here. If desired, stir in up to 5 teaspoons of granulated sugar with the flour and salt. This is optional, but the sugar can help the crust pair nicely with the sweetness of the filling.
2. Place your Baking Steel on the middle rack in your oven. Preheat oven to 400°F for 45 to 60 minutes.
3. Make the filling. In a large bowl, toss the chopped apples together with the brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice, and vanilla and mix until the pieces are evenly coated.
4. In a large saucepan on medium heat, melt and brown the butter. Add the apple mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, stir together the cornstarch and cold water until it forms a smooth slurry without any lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the apple mixture and stir until the liquid coats the back of a spoon.
6. Remove the mixture from the pan and pour it on a sheet tray to allow it to cool.
7. Assemble the pies: Roll out pie dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 12 equal-size circles, squares, or rectangles (one each for the top and bottom of each pie), roughly 3 inches in diameter.
8. Place 6 portions of dough on a piece of parchment paper; these are your pie bottoms.
9. Spoon the apple filling in the center of each piece. Brush the outer perimeter of the dough with a small amount of your egg wash; place the remaining dough portions on top. They will naturally have a domed shape. Press the edges together to form a seal and then crimp the crust all around by pressing down with the tines of a fork. Poke a hole in the top of each pie to allow the steam to escape while the pies bake.
10. Brush the surface of each pie with the remainder of your egg wash. Then either place your parchment on a sheet tray and put that on your Baking Steel or use a pizza peel to launch the parchment sheet directly onto your steel.
11. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the crust is browned to your liking; rotate halfway through baking. Remove and let cool on wire racks. Serve slightly warm. Store well-wrapped leftovers at room temperature for up to 2 days.