Pies - Meat Turnover

Before our last book club meeting (where we discussed Life of Pi), Denise and I got together and prepared an entire meal of pies. We had two savory pies, followed by an apple and raisin pie with a crumble topping, and a buttermilk chess pie for dessert. The best pie though, was the "meat turnover" pie, a savory mixture of mushrooms, ground meat and Gruyere enclosed in large sheets of fresh pastry and baked until flaky and golden brown.

The pie starts with a cream short pastry which uses sour cream and egg to bind the dough. For the best texture, make sure you let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before rolling it to use. (If you're planning ahead, prepare the dough and refrigerate the day before.)

If you have a food processor making homemade dough is incredibly easy, and homemade dough just tastes fantastic. I suppose you could make a couple of smaller pies using refrigerated packaged dough, but since it's honestly so easy I hope you'll try it this way first.

Cream Short Pastry
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for working dough (about 12 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces and chilled (12 tablespoons)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream (or creme fraiche)

Directions
Chill the butter, food processor bowl and metal blade in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Combine the flour and salt in the work bowl of the food processor; pulse several times to combine thoroughly. (Each "pulse" should be about 1 second.)

Remove the top of the processor, and scatter the cubes of butter over the flour mixture. Replace the top of the food processor, and pulse again until the butter is the size of large peas.

Whisk the egg and sour cream (creme fraiche) together in a small bowl until completely combined.

Add the egg/sour cream mixture, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition. Enough liquid has been added when a spoonful of dough holds together when pressed. Pulse the food processor until the dough just begins to pull together.

Turn the dough out onto 2 pieces of large saran. Lift the corners of the saran and shape the dough into a flattened disk. Chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour, before rolling out.

Meat Turnover
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 pound white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 pound ground beef (preferably chuck)
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large white or yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried thyme (we used fresh - probably 1 tablespoon)
1 cup dry white wine, of drinkable quality
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 ounces fontina or Gruyere cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk, divided
1 recipe Cream Short Pastry (see below)
1 large egg
1 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream), as an accompaniment
2 cups chutney, as an accompaniment

Directions
Place a large saute pan over medium heat; add the butter and heat through. Add the chopped mushrooms and a large pinch of salt. Saute until the mushrooms have released all of the liquid and have begun to brown, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl, and set aside to cool.

In the same pan, cook the ground meats over medium heat until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the vinegar, then remove the meat with a slotted spoon and transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms. Cool completely.

Pour off most of the fat, then saute the onions in the remaining fat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and thyme and cook until the aroma is released, about 1 minute more. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan (deglaze). Cook until the wine has reduced to 1 or 2 tablespoons. Set aside to cool completely.

Add the cooled onion mixture, parsley, cheese and 1/4 cup milk to the bowl with the cooled mushroom-meat mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut the cream pastry dough in half. On a lightly floured silicone mat (or between 2 pieces of waxed paper), roll the dough disk into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle, 8 x 14 inches. Lay one sheet of pastry on a parchment or silicone mat-lined baking sheet. Form the meat mixture into a firm and compact narrow loaf down the center of the dough. Leave a 1-inch border of pastry around the meat on all sides.

Ease the second sheet of pastry over the meat. Trim and press the edges with your fingers or a fork. Roll out the scrapes, then cut into decorative shapes. Whisk together the egg and remaining 2 tablespoons milk to make an egg wash. Brush the pastry with the egg wash, then decorate with the shapes; brush with the egg wash again.

Prick the top of the crust with a fork 2 or 3 times to vent, then chill for at least 10 minutes before baking. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bake the meat turnover in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Allow to rest for about 30 minutes before slicing. Cut into thick slices, and serve with creme fraiche (or sour cream) and your favorite chutney.

(Note - Make it Light: Reduce butter to 1 tablespoon, substitute 1 pound of ground turkey for the beef and pork, and reduce the cheese to 2 ounces, use 1/4 cup skim milk and omit the creme fraiche.)