Recipe

roasted vegetable & ricotta cheese hand pies

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roasted vegetable & ricotta cheese hand pies

Photo by Jennifer Perillo

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Brown Bag Lunch
A&M's Testing Notes: This is a great way to use up leftovers. Wrapped up in a flaky crust, the nice and creamy filling is very satisfying. Plus, you have the freedom to use whatever veggies are your favorite...
This is a great way to use up leftovers. Wrapped up in a flaky crust, the nice and creamy filling is very satisfying. Plus, you have the freedom to use whatever veggies are your favorite. – Stephanie

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Chef
Jennifer Perillo's Notes: Easy to make and perfect for freezing, these savory pockets can be filled with any combination of leftover vegetables you have on hand. You can even crumble leftover cooked hamburgers and...
Easy to make and perfect for freezing, these savory pockets can be filled with any combination of leftover vegetables you have on hand. You can even crumble leftover cooked hamburgers and add it to mix. I find the filling doesn't need additional seasoning since the vegetables were roasted with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper, but have included salt and pepper in the ingredient list as "to taste", so you can be the judge. Last note—these heat up great in the microwave. In 14 seconds, mine were warm inside and the crust retained a nice flaky crispness. - Jennifer Perillo

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Serves 16 to 18

For the Basic Butter Crust:

8 ounces flour Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon (5 grams) kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder Ask a question about this ingredient

4 ounces cold butter Ask a question about this ingredient

4 to 6 tablespoon ice cold water Ask a question about this ingredient

For the Hand Pies:

1 cup (6.5 ounces) roasted vegetables, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) fresh ricotta cheese Ask a question about this ingredient

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste if needed Ask a question about this ingredient

1 egg, beaten with a splash of water, optional Ask a question about this ingredient

To make the basic butter crust, add the flour, salt and baking powder to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it forms a sandy crumb. Starting with 4 tablespoons, sprinkle the water over the flour-butter mixture and pulse until it forms a ball, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Add another tablespoon or two of water if necessary. Dump onto an unfloured counter and form into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic or waxed paper and let chill until firm, but still pliable, about 1 hour (you can also quick chill it in the freezer for 20 minutes while you prep your filling ingredients).
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Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line two 11-inch by 16-inch rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, mix the vegetables and ricotta cheese together. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 to 1/16-inch thick. Cut out 5-inch circles. It's okay to re-roll the scraps until all the dough is used up. Place cut circles on the prepared baking sheets (do not forget to place on parchment before forming pockets or they will be too delicate to transfer). Spoon 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling into the center of each circle, fold over, making sure the filling is not spilling out the edges, and crimp the edges with a fork. Pierce tops with the tines of a fork to create steam vents.
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Brush tops with egg wash, if using. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden. Let sit on sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Serve warm. May be stored, wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. No doubt, they can also be stored in an air-tight zip-top bag in the freezer, though I don't know for how long since they get eaten too fast around here.
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