Nigerian Style Meat Pie

This is a popular snack in Nigeria and West Africa.

The pastry made for this is slightly flaky and very rich in flavor, filled with seasoned minced meat, potatoes, carrots.

Other counties have their own variations such as Jamaican patty, empanada and shepherd’s pie.

Here are the steps I use in making mine.

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Nigerian Style Meat Pie Recipe

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Caribbean, Nigeria, West Africa

Keyword: crust, pastry, pies

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 Plain Flour
• 200 g Unsalted Butter You can use 150g Margarine
• 1/4 tsp Salt Add this twice
• 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg Add this twice
• 1 Large Egg
• Water I will explain further

Minced Beef Filling

• 450 g Minced Beef
• 2 Large Irish Potatoes
• 2 Large Carrots
• 1 Medium Sized Onion
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tbsp Onion Powder
• 1 tbsp Ginger Powder
• 1/4 tsp Thyme
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
• Maggie cubes to taste
• Salt to taste
• Water

Instructions

Preparing The Minced Beef Filling

• Peal the Irish potatoes and scrap the carrots
• Wash and dice them into tiny cubes.
  
• Wash and dice the Onions into tiny cubes.
• Add the diced onions, stir while it fries for a bit.
  
• Add the minced beef.
  
• Keep stirring till it turns pale.
• Add the cayenne Pepper, onion powder, ginger, thyme, stock cubes, salt to taste and stir.
  
• Add the diced Irish potatoes, carrots and stir properly.
  
• Add a bit of the water to cover just the top of the filling, allow it to cook till they are well done.
• Dissolve 2 tbs of plain flour in 1/2 cup cold water.
• Add the mix to the filling and stir properly until it thickens.
• Turn off the heat and allow it to cool down.

Preparing The Meat Pie Dough

• In a mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix them all together.
• Add the butter or margarine in small chunks in the bowl of dry ingredients.
• Mix with your finger tips or with a dough mixer till dry ingredients and butter turns like crumbs
• Whisk the egg in a small bowl, add it to the dry ingredients.
• Start adding cold water in tiny bit, keep mix till a dough ball is formed.
  
• Knead the dough properly, once this process is complete, put it in a bowl and allow it to rest for 5 to 8 minutes.

Adding Filling To The Crust

• Preheat your oven at 190°C or 380°F for 10 to 15 minutes before the baking time.
• Divide the dough into 8 – 10 equal parts and roll out into thinly pastry but not so thin.
• Cut into your desired circles with a cutter or the cover of a small pot will do the job.
• Scoop about 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoon of the filling to the middle of the dough. Do not over fill
• Pick one side of the dough, cover it over the filling.
• Use a fork to the seal the dough. I normally dip the fork in cold water, this helps with the sealing of the crust
  
• Arrange in a baking tray, brush the surface of the folded crust eat with egg wash.
• Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or it turns brown to your liking