Chorizo Hand Pies (Print-Friendly Version)
Yummy pastry full of spiced chorizo and melted cheese—fun and festive for any get-together.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Chorizo Filling
01 -
255 g ground chorizo (beef or pork)
02 -
285 g minced pork (you can swap for beef, chicken, or turkey if you want)
03 -
1 teaspoon (2 g) paprika
04 -
0.5 medium onion, chopped finely
05 -
3 garlic cloves, minced
06 -
0.5 teaspoon (1 g) cayenne pepper (optional)
07 -
Salt to taste
→ Assembly
08 -
1 large egg, for egg wash
09 -
170 g Oaxaca cheese, grated
10 -
170 g Manchego cheese, grated
11 -
Water at room temperature, for sealing edges
→ Pie Dough
12 -
1 heaped teaspoon (5.5 g) sea salt
13 -
170 g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
14 -
120 ml chilled water, plus another 30–45 ml if needed
15 -
1 large egg
16 -
455 g all-purpose flour, preferably chilled
17 -
1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
# How to Make It:
01 -
In a separate bowl, whisk together 120 ml chilled water, vinegar, and the egg.
02 -
In a large non-stick pan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat. Cook the onions until they soften.
03 -
Take an uncut dough base, add a scoop of both shredded cheeses, then layer on the chilled chorizo mix. Wet the edges with water, place a face-shaped top over it, and press down to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges.
04 -
Bake them for 20–30 minutes or until they're a deep golden brown. Let them cool a bit before serving warm.
05 -
Set your oven to preheat at 190°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep it ready.
06 -
Use small cutters or a sharp knife to cut out facial features on half of the dough cutouts.
07 -
Stir in the chorizo, minced pork, paprika, garlic, cayenne, and salt. Mix and break up the meat with a spatula. Cook for about 15–20 minutes until it's fully done. Adjust salt if necessary. Let it cool completely in a bowl in the fridge.
08 -
Take the dough out onto a clean surface, shape it into a rectangle. Fold it into thirds, then do this fold again. Mold it into a disc, wrap it in plastic, and chill in the fridge for not less than an hour.
09 -
On a floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of about 3 mm. Rotate and dust with flour to avoid sticking. Cut roughly 30 pumpkin-shaped pieces using a 10 cm cutter, re-rolling scraps as needed.
10 -
Mix cubed chilled butter with the flour by hand or use a food processor until it looks like coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized bits still showing.
11 -
Brush the surface of each pie with the beaten egg to achieve a nice even golden color.
12 -
In a large bowl, mix the chilled flour and sea salt together. Use a whisk to blend them well.
# Extra Information:
01 -
For the best outcome, use metric weights and make sure all dairy and dough ingredients stay well chilled.
02 -
Make sure the filling is totally cooled before you start to assemble to keep the pastry from getting soggy.
03 -
You can create spooky faces using small pastry cutters or a sharp paring knife.