Recipe Swap: Meat Pies with Maple Ginger Glaze

What: Monthly Recipe Swap
Goal: Change 3 ingredients and/or the method of an old recipe to create something new
Recipe: Maple Syrup Cake
Why: Why not?

My mittens made their first appearance of the season recently. Though the sun is still shining, my fingers are the tell tale sign to what is just around the corner. Starring out the window I watched the wind reek havoc on the lifeless herbs. My mind searched for ideas around recreating a maple syrup cake for the monthly recipe swap

Visions of a soft, buttery, maple frosting floated so close that I think I got a little on my nose, but the cake just wasn't speaking to me. Images chugged through my head like an old slide projector, layered cakes turned to cupcakes. Mini individual cakes are so elegant. The wind blew harder outside and my hands craved something warm. Cookies slid by. Then the slide projector rotated in a new image, this time it was pie with steam escaping out the top.  Pie dough is one of my favorite things to make, but not being a big lover of sweet pies made the image lurch one more time. It was still a pie, but this time it was filled with meat. A meat pie. 'Yes' I confidently announced out loud to nobody listening. Outside the wind blew even harder as if an affirmation of my decision and again my fingers yearned for warmth. Just then the slide projector turned one more time to what would be the final image - a handheld meat pie. Decision done.


The original cake recipe called for cinnamon and ginger along with maple syrup so I set off to create a meat filling that could mingle with these ingredients. Pork and carrot have the ability to marry with a sweet vein so they became the bulk of the meat filling along with a little fresh ginger, onions and beef. The dough is not a typical flaky pie pastry but one that can withstand a little movement and hand holding.

Make a Maple Ginger Meat Pie and make your hands fat and happy.  For more information on the monthly recipe swap, please Visit the Burwell General Store

Fat and Happy Food Blog Tips and Techniques: Feel free to make one pie instead of individual ones for ease. When making the dough, it is imperative to use cold butter so that the dough doesn't become a gloppy mess.

Meat Pies with Maple Ginger Glaze

1/4 cup onions, diced small

3/4 cup carrots, diced small

1 Tbls olive oil

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 Tbls ginger, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz ground pork

8 oz ground beef

2 Tbls maple syrup

wortchesire sauce

1 heaping tbls apricot jelly

1/2 tsp dry mustard

soy sauce

salt & pepper

Make the dough first so it can rest in the fridge for 20 minutes (see instructions below).

In a medium saute pan, cook the onions, carrots and olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, tossing often. Add in the cinnamon, ginger and garlic, continue to cook another 3 minutes.

Add the pork and beef to the pan, keeping over medium heat until the meat is cooked through. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon (or fork) so it's in small crumbles.

Turn the flame to low and pour in the maple syrup, warchesire sauce, soy sauce apricot jelly and dry mustard. Add a healthy pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to combine and let simmer for for a few minutes. Remove from heat.


Putting the meat pies together:  
Take the dough from the fridge, cut into six sections. Roll each section into a rough circle keeping the dough slightly thick (the circle should be about the size of your hand whole hand.) Have a little extra flour handy to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.

Scoop spoons of the meat filling onto half of the circle, try to get just a little of the glaze or sauce in as well. Wet your finger with a little water and run it along the edge the circle. Fold the empty half of the dough onto the filled side and lightly push the edges together to seal. Use the tongs of a fork to finish the sealing process (you may need to dip the fork in a little flour to keep it from sticking.) Repeat with remaining dough.

Place the pies on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees until they turn golden brown. For a shiny crust, brush the pies with an egg wash before baking them.

Meat Pie Pastry Dough

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 heaping tsp salt

1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick)

1/4 ice water

1/4 tsp pepper

 In a small food processor, add the flour and salt, pulse to combine. Chop the cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour. Pulse to break the butter into little pea sized pieces. Slowly add just a few teaspoons of water at a time while pulsing the dough. Eventually the dough will come together into a ball. Try not to over pulse.

Flatten the dough slightly with the palm of your hand. Fold together, flatten again and fold together one more time. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before using.