For the dough:
- 4 cups flour (about 800g)
- 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 300-350g lukewarm water
- Salt
For the filling:
- 500g minced meat
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 grated carrot
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- A pinch of thyme
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 shot of cognac
- 80g water
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sweet paprika
- Olive oil for frying
Instructions
For the dough:
- In a bowl, add the flour and salt.
- Add the butter, cut into small pieces, and rub it into the flour with your hands until it resembles wet sand.
- Gradually add the lukewarm water and knead until you have a firm dough that doesn’t stick to your hands.
- Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rest.
For the filling:
- In a deep pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the minced meat until it changes color.
- Add the onion, garlic, and carrot, and sauté everything together for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cognac, honey, water, salt, pepper, thyme, cumin, and paprika. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the liquid evaporates, then set it aside to cool.
Assembling the pies:
- Once the filling has cooled, divide the dough into 24 pieces and shape them into small balls.
- Press each ball with your fingers to form small round discs.
- Place a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of each disc.
- Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape and press the edges with a fork to seal.
- Repeat the process for all the pies. Let them rest on a plate for about 10 minutes to ensure they are sealed properly before frying.
- In a pan, heat enough olive oil and fry the pies on both sides until they turn golden brown.
Enjoy your delicious minced meat pies!