Snacks - Mini-Pies With Sour Cream Pastry:(a soft delicious pastry with slight layers)

Snacks
Mini-Pies With Sour Cream Pastry:-
(a soft delicious pastry with slight layers)


750ml Cake flour
2ml Salt
250g Butter, cut into small blocks
250ml Sour cream

Mince Filling-

400g Mince
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
5ml Salt
5ml Cumin powder
5ml Cayenne pepper
3ml Tumeric
5ml Coriander spice
10ml Garlic and ginger paste
50ml Fresh coriander, finely chopped.

Method:-

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease 2 baking trays; keep them aside.

Sift flour and salt twice. Rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. Pour all the sour cream into the flour mixture at once and mix into a firm dough.

Use your hands to bind the pastry. Do not add water. Bring together and cover with plastic. Leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll and fold three times. Allow the pastry to rest. Roll and fold twice more and use as required.

Filling:-

Rinse and drain mince in a colander. (Never leave mince in water as it will be waterlogged).

In a pot, braise onions in a little bit of oil until it is golden. Add mince and mix well. Add spices, garlic and ginger and blend well. Braise mince till done and fairly dry. Add the fresh coriander and mix it well.

Assembly:-

Use a flower cutter to cut the pastry into rounds. Fill each round with filling and cover with another round of pastry as for pies. Brush with egg and sprinkle them with poppy seeds.

Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes abd then at 180°C until they are golden.

Note: This pastry improves with standing and can be made 3 - 4 days in advance. It may also be frozen for up to 6 months.

Makes 15 - 20






Mini Pitas:-


(Crispy, flavoursome and succulent).

500g Cake flour
5ml Sugar
5ml Salt
1 Packet instant dry yeast
1 Egg
60ml Oil
180ml Lukewarm water (approximate)

Filling:-

30ml Oil
1 Onion, chopped
500g Chicken mince
15ml Paprika
15ml Cajun spice
15ml Barbeque spics
10ml Garlic and ginger paste
100ml Mayonnaise
Salt to taste


Method:-

Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray a baking tray with non-stick cooking spray

Sift flour, salt and sugar together. Sprinkle with yeast and mix through. Beat together egg and oil; add water and mix. Add to dry ingredients. Mix into a soft dough, adding more water if necessary.

On a table, knead dough until it is smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a clean bowl and place dough in it. Lightly smear the top of the dough with oil and cover with cling wrap. Place bowl in a warm place and allow dough to double in size - about 45 minutes. Once risen, knock down.

Divide dough into half. Take one half and roll into a sausage. Cut into small pieces and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Ball must be the size of a walnut. Allow balls to double in size.

On a lightly floured surface, flatten balls and with a round cutter, cut into even-sized rounds. Bake for about 5 - 7 minutes until baked through. Do not over-bake or they will be too brown and dry. A pita bread tends to be light in colour. Remove to cooling rack and cover with a damp cloth to keep them soft.

Make filling:-

Heat oil in a large pan. Add onions and fry until soft and transparent. Add spices and chicken and fry for 8 - 10 minutes.

Cool chicken mixture and stir in mayinnaise.

When ready to surve, cut pitas in half, but not entirely through. Pile a chicken stir-fry into the pita pockets and serve immediately.

Note: Whilst shaping each pita, place on baking tray and cover pitas with a damp cloth to prevent them from rising too much. A tray of water can be placed at the bottom of the oven to create steam. This keeps the pitas soft.

Makes 36