Beef 'N' Egg Pockets

Beef ‘N’ Egg Pockets

Source: Ground Beef Cookbook
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 9 people

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup shortening
* 2/3 cup milk
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
* 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Gradually add milk, tossing with a fork until a ball forms.
3. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
5. Add the tomato, egg, salt and pepper; mix well.
6. Roll out pastry into an 18 inch by 9 inch rectangle; cut into 3 inch squares.
7. Place a rounded tablespoonful of the filling in the center of each square.
8. Fold in half, forming triangles; crimp edges to seal.
9. Place on greased baking sheets.
10. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.


This was an interesting week. Usually I try out a few different recipes and pick the best story, the best taste, the most interesting to post. I don't remember everything that happened this weekend, I have a calendar to look back on if I need to, but the end result was that I tried one new recipe on Sunday.

I started the crust a week ago and let the flour, baking powder, and salt sit for a week while I got shortening and a rolling pin. And then I had to wait for a 'free' day to make it. I'll digress, I'm not talking about free time, I mean a day that my husband and I have negotiated where I'm allowed to cook whatever I want. After we'd been married a year and a half he sat me down and told me he couldn't take it anymore. In his words, "I've tried more new foods with you in a year and a half of marriage than I did in two years in the Philippines." So we negotiated. Monday through Thursday we have a set rotation of meals. We started with 4, he's okayed meals as we try them, and the list has grown. Some that he's approved for the rotation I refuse to put in, usually because they're too labor intensive for me to make any given weeknight. Who knows some future post may include our rotation.

Anyways, a week after combining the dry ingredients I added the shortening and milk. I followed the directions and didn't use my hands (pastry dough stays flakier and lighter the less it's handled, or so I've always heard. I haven't looked up the chemistry there.) I rolled it out and filled it, but the dough was so delicate it was hard to keep it from falling apart. Amazingly enough although there were lots of holes, top bottom whatever, the pockets came off the baking sheets whole and the crusts were as light as the dough suggested they'd be. The one crust I made up from scratch and handled more was significantly easier to work with and wasn't noticeably different.

The filling is boring. More salt would have enhanced the flavor. Mav requested garlic in the next batch, the recipe notes mention fresh mushroom and green pepper which I'd enjoy. I also think that cheese would be a welcome addition. These appetizers are meat pies, or "pasties" as my Australian friends refer to them. There's some frustration in dealing with the crust, but I'm not a natural baker and rolling out dough is top on my list of things that I want to learn to do better in the kitchen. These snacks would be a classy dish for any party. I only got 12, although I eyeballed the 3 inch squares and overstuffed them. I'm also deciding what kind of a dip, if any, would be a good accent.

Let me know how you enjoy these recipes if you decide to try them out, and how you alter them.