Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese, And Sage Hand Pies

Ingredients

Pastry crust

• 2 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons flour – divided
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter cut into ½-inch pieces
• 5 to 6 tablespoons cold water

Filling

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
• 2/3 cup white onion, 1/4-inch dice
• 3 cups peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 4-ounces goat cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves plus additional whole leaves for garnish
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream

Directions

1. Prepare the pastry by placing 2 ¼ cups flour and ½ teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse to combine. With the machine running, slowly add the cold butter cubes through the feed tube. With machine running, add 5 tablespoons cold water. If the dough is too dry, add the additional tablespoon of water. Remove dough and form into a flat disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

2. While pastry is chilling, prepare the filling. Place the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. When melted, add the garlic clove and onion. Cook for two minutes, stirring often. Add the butternut squash. Reduce heat to low. Cover sauté pan and cook until squash is fork tender but not overcooked – about 15 minutes. Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, brown sugar, salt and white pepper. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes then place in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Place in a bowl and set aside.

3. Combine the goat cheese and the chopped fresh sage. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper.

4. Use the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour to dust a work area. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut in half. Roll out the first half to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut out 8 five-inch rounds. Place four rounds on each of the prepared cookie sheets. Divide the butternut squash mixture among the 8 rounds, placing it in the middle of each. Divide the goat cheese mixture among the rounds, placing on top of the squash.

5. Combine the egg with the half and half or cream. Use a pastry brush to put a ¼-inch rim of egg wash around each pastry round. Roll out the remaining piece of pastry and cut into 8 five-inch rounds. Gather scrapes as needed to roll and cut out a total of 8.

6. Place a round on top of each squash-filled round. Press the rounds together. Crimp the edges. Cut three small slits on top of each pie using a paring knife. Brush tops and crimped edges with the egg wash. Decorate with whole sage leaves.

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Source: Chef Terri Milligan