Friday, March 9, 2012

Spelt hand pies



I'm of the school that believes in in-between snacks during the day instead of three large meals. Therefore I like organizing convenient snacks that are delicious and loaded with protein.

The whole spelt flour I buy has 9g of protein per 100g, plus it is a wheat alternative. I think we eat too much wheat (bread, pasta, noodles, tortillas, baked goods) and need a break -- variety can do wonders.

The crust comes out beautiful, it is tender, and has limited fat from coconut oil. I use protein-rich whey (leftover from paneer-making) to bind the dough, but of course water does the trick as well.

I choose to use textured soy protein for my filling because it's delicious, and followed the recipe for keema, except making sure to cook out the liquid so that the crust will not be soggy.



These hand pies do perfectly well sitting in the freezer for when you want a snack, and can last up to a month. Just designate one free day to make them and it will surely be worth the trouble when hunger strikes.

Spelt Hand Pies
Makes 18 - 20 pies

3 1/4 cups whole spelt flour
85g coconut oil, melted (or canola oil)
3/4 - 1 cup whey or water
3/4 tsp salt

1. Make the filling of your choice and cool completely. I like to use keema (textured vegetable protein in a spicy mix) that I have cooked down until its liquid has evaporated.  

2. Melt the coconut oil and then add all the flour and salt. Mix well with your hands and add enough water to bind into a soft dough. (If the dough is too dry, it can crack and be tough form into a pie).

3. Divide the dough into 18 balls and roll each ball into a 1/8 inch rectangle. Add filling to one side, leaving a 1/2 inch gap on all sides. Dab some water around the sides of the filling and fold and seal tightly, crimping the edges to your liking.

4. Line on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven on 400F/200C for 10 - 14 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Cool and place in an airtight container in the fridge. The extra can be frozen in a freezer bag and microwaved for 20 seconds before eating. 

Enjoy!

2 comments:

  1. Excellent idea! Stashing homemade freezer snacks is one of my favorite tricks, but I've never thought to make hand pies for some reason. I especially like the idea that you can use whey to make the dough. These are going on The List. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Eileen! Yes I've been trying to find different uses for whey instead of throwing it away after cheese-making. I think it makes the crust more tender. Do let me know how it turns out!

      Delete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...