2packages pie dough, total of 4, nine-inch pie crusts
1 tablespoonap flour , to dust your work surface
1tablespoonsalted butter
½lb.fresh spinach , washed and roughly chopped
½cupwhite onion, diced small, about 1 small onion
½tablespoonlemon juice, fresh squeezed
¼teaspoonsalt, to add to the spinach
2.5tablespoonscream cheese , softened
1large egg + 2 teaspoons water , whisk to create an egg wash, divide in half
¼cupcrumbled feta cheese
¼cupartichoke hearts , diced small
2.5tablespoonsshredded mozzarella cheese
pinchof salt, to add to the cheese / egg mixture
Equipment
colander
11-inch saucepan to cook spinach mixture
mixing bowl for cheese mixture
baking tray lined with parchment paper
3-inch cookie cutter
Rolling Pin
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set it aside.
Prepare the spinach mixture:
Wash and drain the fresh spinach. Give it a rough chop using a knife.
Heat an 11-inch saucepan over medium heat.
Add the butter, chopped spinach, and minced garlic. Stir.
Once the spinach begins to wilt, add the diced onion, lemon juice and salt. Stir well.
You’ll want the onions to soften but not brown.
Once the spinach and onion mixture has softened and is translucent, remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool.
Prepare the cheese mixture:
In a separate mixing bowl combine, the softened cream cheese, feta cheese crumbles, shredded mozzarella, chopped artichoke hearts, half of the whisked egg wash, and a pinch of salt. Stir until well combined. I used a spoon because it helped smooth out the cream cheese. ** The second half of the whisked egg will be used as a wash for the pies.**
Prepare the pie dough:
Remove the packages of pie dough from the refrigerator 15 minutes before you intend to use them. This will make the dough easier to work with.
Dust your work surface with some flour. This will prevent the pies from sticking to the work surface.
Roll out each 9-inch pie dough one at a time. There are 2 rolls per package. Total of 4 nine inch rolls.
Using the 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out 8 rounds per pie dough. You will end up with 32 rounds in total.
Assemble the hand pies:
Next, place 8 rounds on the prepared baking tray. I was able to bake 8 hand pies at a time.
Add 1 tablespoon of the spinach and artichoke filling to the base round.
Use the second half of the whisked egg wash to brush the edge of the round with the filling. This will help create a tight seal once to place the top piece on.
Using a rolling pin, gently roll the top piece (or round) of dough. This will make the dough slightly larger than the bottom piece with the filling. This way, it easily covers the filling and can be easily sealed.
Using a fork, press the edges of the pie dough to ensure a tight seal. You will also use a fork to poke 4 small holes into the top of the hand pie. This allows steam to escape when baking.
Place the hand pies on the baking tray with parchment paper and repeat for all 16 pies. Bake them 8 at a time.
As a final step, brush the top of the hand pies with additional egg wash and bake for 14-15 minutes. I broiled mine for 1 additional minute to get a golden-brown crust on top.