Scottish Hand Pies

Flaky pastry filled with savory meat and vegetables—these hearty hand pies are comforting, portable, and perfect for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients (Makes 8 hand pies)

Filling:

• 1 tbsp oil or butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• ½ lb (225 g) ground beef or lamb
• 1 small potato, peeled and finely diced
• 1 small carrot, finely diced
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ cup beef broth or water

Pastry:

• 2 refrigerated pie crusts (or homemade shortcrust pastry)

For sealing:

• 1 egg, beaten (egg wash)

Detailed Instructions

1. Prepare the filling
   • Heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat.
   • Add the chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft and translucent.
   • Add ground beef (or lamb) and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned.
   • Stir in diced potato, carrot, salt, pepper, and thyme.
   • Pour in beef broth, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8–10 minutes until vegetables are just tender and mixture is moist but not wet.
   • Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely (important so pastry doesn’t melt).
2. Preheat and prep
   • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
   • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Cut the pastry
   • Roll out pie crusts on a lightly floured surface.
   • Cut each crust into 4 equal circles (about 5–6 inches wide), making 8 circles total.
4. Fill the pies
   • Spoon filling onto one half of each pastry circle, leaving a ½-inch border around the edge.
   • Do not overfill—this helps prevent leaks.
5. Seal
   • Brush edges lightly with beaten egg.
   • Fold pastry over the filling to form a half-moon shape.
   • Press edges together and crimp with a fork to seal securely.
6. Vent and glaze
   • Cut 1–2 small slits on top of each pie to allow steam to escape.
   • Brush tops with egg wash for a golden finish.
7. Bake
   • Place pies on prepared baking sheet.
   • Bake for 22–25 minutes, until pastry is puffed and deep golden brown.
8. Cool and serve
   • Let hand pies rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
   • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips & Variations

• 🥔 Traditional touch: Keep vegetables finely diced so they cook evenly.
• 🧀 Cheesy version: Add a small amount of sharp cheddar to the filling.
• 🌿 Herb swap: Try rosemary instead of thyme.
• ❄ Freezer-friendly: Freeze unbaked pies and bake from frozen, adding 5–7 minutes.