Irish Lamb Hand Pies (AKA Kerry or Dingle Pies)

Hailing from the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry of Southwest Ireland- these Irish

meat hand pies, better known by the name Dingle, Kerry or Mutton Pies, are a

delicious, savory traditional Irish food. Though the forming of the pies takes a little

bit of time and effort, the results are well worth the bites of tender lamb meat and

flavorful veggies- and not to mention the flaky, buttery crust! Originally made with

scraps of mutton meat, today many Kerry pies use lamb meat instead. The perfect

food to pack with you to a St. Patrick’s Day outing!

Ingredients

For Filling:

2lbs ground lamb meat- beef can be substituted if preferred
1 small yellow or sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup of frozen peas
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh sage, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
4 tablespoons California Olive Ranch Arbequina Reserve EVOO
1 teaspoon fine sea or pink salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice- or a small pinch each of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and ginger.

For Pie Crust:

4 cups all purpose flour, plus more to flour work surface
1 tablespoon fine sea or pink salt
1 and 2/3 cup high quality butter, cold chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
4 eggs, divided
3-5 tablespoons ice cold water, as needed

Instructions

Start by making pie crust.
To a large mixing bowl add flour, salt and cold, chopped butter.
Using your hands, break down the butter into small pea sized pieces by rubbing it and incorporating into flour.
When all butter is broken down and a shaggy dough has formed, create a well in the center of the dough and crack three eggs into it. The fourth egg will be reserved to be used as an egg wash.
Mix eggs into dough, being sure to scrape in all of the flour from the bottom of the bowl.
Adding in 1 tablespoon of ice cold water at a time and mix until a ball of pie crust dough forms- it should be slightly sticky to the touch and stay together, without any dry pockets of flour or clumps falling off.
When dough has formed, wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least one hour and up to overnight.
While dough is chilling, make hand pie filling.
To a large skillet, over medium heat, add in 4 tablespoons of California Olive Ranch Arbequina EVOO.
Add in chopped onion, garlic and fresh herbs and cook for 3 or 4 minutes until fragrant.
Add in ground lamb and use your spatula to break it down into a fine mince.
Add in peas, parsley, salt, cumin, garlic, black pepper and pumpkin pie spice, mix well.
Cook lamb meat until cooked through, about 10 minutes, mixing frequently.
When meat filling is done cooking remove from heat and set to the side to let it cool.
After dough is done chilling, prepare a clean work surface by dusting it with 1 tablespoon of flour and remove dough from the fridge.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Working with about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll it out to 1/4 inch thickness.
Using a 5 inch round cookie cutter (or a cup of that diameter), cut out as many circles as you can from the rolled out dough.
Roll up scraps and repeat with all remaining dough.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Place 6 of the 5 inch dough rounds on the parchment paper.
Scoop 3 tablespoons of meat filling onto each dough round.
Crack your remaining egg into a small bowl and whisk.
Brush just the edges of bottom pie round with egg wash- this will be the adhesive to make the top dough stick well.
Take a fresh 5 inch dough round and cup it over top of the meat on each hand pie, pinch along the sides gently.
Take a fork and go around the edges of each hand pie to crimp edges and seal them.
Form a little hole in the top of each hand pie to allow steam to escape.
Brush the top of each hand pie with egg wash and bake in oven for about 40 minutes, until crust has turned golden brown.
Repeat with remainder of dough and meat filling.
Best served hot with plain yogurt as a dipping sauce.