Ghanaian meat pies are a popular street food snack in Ghana. The pastry is often more desirable than the filling, and people will travel long distances to buy their favorite pie from a particular vendor. If you struggle with making shortcrust pastry, this recipe is for you. It is easy to make and the result is a crumbly, rich pastry that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
- 500g plain flour
- 500g vegetable fat spread (for baking and cooking) or margarine
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 egg, for brushing
- 340g corned beef
- 1/3 cup red onion, diced
- 1/3 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
- 1 Maggie cube, crushed
Instructions
- Prepare the pie filling: Heat a frying pan or pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened. Add the diced tomatoes and stir. Season with the crushed Maggie cube and cook for 1 minute. Add the corned beef and stir. Cook for another minute and remove from heat.
- Make the pastry: Sift the flour and nutmeg into a bowl. Add the vegetable fat spread and use your fingertips to incorporate it into the flour. The dough will be soft and sticky, but this is okay.
- Roll out the pastry: On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin sheet. Use a round cookie cutter or a shaped cutter of your choice to cut out the pastry into desired shapes.
- Fill the pies: Place a spoonful of the filling in the center of each pastry shape. Fold the pastry over and crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers. Use a fork to create holes on top of the pie to allow steam to escape.
- Bake the pies: Grease and flour a baking tray. Place the pies on the baking tray and brush the surface with the beaten egg. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve the pies warm or cold.
Enjoy!
