Monday, January 31, 2011

an appetite for pastry encrusted meat items

granny lawson's lunch dish

So. It's winter and the birthdays have passed. It must be time to break out the meat pies.

Ok, so maybe it's not a yearly tradition yet, but I'm deciding that it should be. I've made the steak pie from Apples for Jam twice now. I love that pie and plan to make it again this winter. But I've also really been admiring and wanting to try Granny Lawson's Lunch Dish for several years now. It's from Nigella Bites. Recently, I saw the recipe again whilst flipping through the book and decided this must be the year to try it, so finally made it this weekend. I thought it was delicious--a little different, with the hard boiled egg and sliced olives in there, but delicious.
granny lawson's lunch dish

I served it with a crisp green salad and some fruit.

pigs in blankets

I'm not ashamed to say (ok, maybe just a little embarrassed), that the very next night we had these little pigs in blankets (also from Nigella Bites). See? It must be a meat-in-pastry theme (actually, these also fit my snacks for dinner theme, another favorite). This was pretty random in its planning. I found a little package of mini-hot dogs at Trader Joe's and remembered this recipe from the book and just wanted to make them. They were delicious dipped in mustard.

Any other meat pie fans out there? I think we are a dying breed.

(More meat pies here).

12 comments:

Maiz Connolly said...

I love meat pies, too. Actually, I love all kinds of pies! I was going to make a meat pie for dinner last night, but while thawing the crust I noticed my big pile of apples and went for them instead.

One of my favorites is to make meat pies with beef and diced potato, onion, cauliflower and frozen peas. I season it generously with curry powder and salt and pepper.

{call me satch} said...

i love those little piggies in blankets, my boys would love those :)

Jessica said...

Yum! The second pies you made from Nigella Eats reminds me of empanadas. What kind of seasoning does she use?

8760 said...

Mmmm, pastry with anything inside it!! Especially beef, veg and gravy. Sounds lovely Mary Beth!x

Alicen said...

I got a chuckle out of your post title :) I haven't had any meat products in pastry for quite a while, but I am thinking of making quiche soon... Sort of similar?

Carrie said...

I have been craving a Pastie - a traditional beef pie with root vegetables (including rutabaga) that we get here in Minnesota up on the North Shore. I really need to get making after seeing what you have made.

Mary Beth said...

Jessica--it's actually flavored with allspice!

Alicen--the post title is inspired by Nigel Slater (I'll post more about his book "Appetite" later). Oh I love quiche too!

andreaW said...

I will confess to loving a good meat pie. Not quite the same, but I've been making the chicken hand pies from Mad Hungry-here is the link to the beef empanadas, which I haven't tried yet. The cream cheese pastry dough is excellent though. Rolls out easily and has an elastic feeling to it.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/beef-empanadas

Our Adventures As A Family of 4.... said...

I love meat pies. My dad was British and liked them too. My mom didn't make them that often, but I'd really like to start doing it. I made a chicken pot pie and everyone loved it, so I know meat pies would be a hit.

I like the little hot dogs from Trader Joes I am going to look for them. Sounds like Nigella's book is a must have. I already have Apples for Jam on my Amazon wish list, must add this one as well.

Thanks for sharing.
Molly

Our Adventures As A Family of 4.... said...

I love Mad Hungry's recipes too. Have you checked out the book, Mary Beth? There is also a Mad Hungry website. I have cooked some of the recipes and they are good. The tv show is airing on Hallmark channel right now.

Molly

Andrea said...

"Pastry encrusted meat items" cracks me up. I am a vegetarian, so not a big meat pie fan (though I remember my mom used to make turkey turnovers every once in a while which I loved when I was a kid), though I do love pastry-encrusted non-meat items (cheese, vegetables, cheese and vegetables) and I make pigs in the blanket for the kids occasionally (using artisan bread in 5 min a day dough, but pastry dough looks fun too!)

Gift of Green said...

I love them too even though I don't eat beef any more! I love when they are called cornishes. YUM!