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crawfish-hand-pies-recipe

Crawfish Hand Pies

5 from 1 vote
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Cuisine: Cajun / Creole
Author: Jennifer Locklin

Ingredients

  • Filling:
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 cup celery diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 1 tablespoons Creole seasoning used: Tony Chachere
  • 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning used: Old Bay
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups crawfish stock chicken broth or water
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 pound freshly picked steamed crawfish tail meat
  • 1 cup cooked long parboiled rice

  • Pie Dough:
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 stick cold butter cubed
  • 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening used: Crisco, chilled and cubed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 6 tablespoons ice water

  • Egg Wash:
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  • Filling:
  • Saute the celery, bell pepper, and onion on medium heat until the vegetables become tender.
  • Add the spices and garlic.
  • Saute to combine, and then blend in the flour to form a roux around the vegetables, over medium-high heat.
  • Cook thoroughly until the roux starts to brown slightly, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the broth a little at a time, stirring to bring all the ingredients together to form a thickened stew mixture. Stir in the crawfish tail meat, and then the cream. Simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  • Stir in cooked rice.

  • Pie Dough:
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt, whisk to combine.
  • Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender or fork until the flour looks like coarse meal.
  • Gradually add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough gathers into a well formed ball (you may use more or less ice water). With floured hands, mix and squeeze the dough until it forms a ball. Knead it several times to combine (the less kneading the better - the dough can become tough with too much kneading).
  • Use immediately, or cover and chill until ready to use. Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

  • Egg Wash:
  • In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and water until well blended. Set aside for brushing pies before baking.

  • Assembly:
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Divide dough into 18 pieces.
  • Using a rolling pin on a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into a circle.
  • Scoop a generous amount of cooled filling onto 1 side of the dough, leaving at least 1/2-inch border.
  • Using your finger dipped in water, quickly paint a little water around the border and fold other side of dough over. Press and roll edges to seal. Crimp edges with a fork. Repeat the process until all dough is used.
  • Place pies onto a clean baking sheet. At this point, pies can be covered in plastic wrap and frozen for future use.
  • When ready to bake, brush each pie with egg wash and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or, or until pies are golden brown.
  • Serve warm.

  • *Note: If you find that your filling is too thick, or dry, you can stir in evaporated milk until you reach the desired consistency. I like mine to be like a thick stew or pot pie inside.