Honey and walnut ‘three-bites’ pies

Chef: Marika Gauci
Prep: 40 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Honey and walnut ‘three-bites’ pies
This pastry is chunky and wholesome enough to stand up to the rich honey filling. 
 

To make the pastry

50g rolled oats

170g plain flour, plus extra to dust

100g wholemeal flour

160g butter, cubed

2 tbsp sugar

1 egg, whisked with 2 tsp water

For the filling

200g runny honey

Zest of ½ a lemon

Ground cinnamon

18 walnut halves

1 egg, whisked with 1 tsp cold water, for glazing

2 X 12-hole non-stick patty tins

8.5cm-round pastry or biscuit cutter

5cm round pastry or biscuit cutter

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°F/ gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 2 x 12 hole non–stick patty tin.

First make the pastry. Tip the oats and flours into a large bowl and mix well.

Add the cubed butter and rub it into the dry ingredients, until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. This pastry will be heavier than other pastry because of the oats.

Now add the sugar, mix well, then add the whisked egg and bind together until a dough forms.

Wrap the pastry in cling film and cool it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Once your pastry has chilled, roll out the chilled pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin (about 2mm).

Take the larger cutter and cut out 18 circles.

Line your patty tins with them, leaving a slight pastry overhang for each pie.

Drizzle honey into each pastry shell (but don’t over-fill them or your pies may burn).

Sprinkle lemon zest and a pinch of cinnamon into each shell and place 1 walnut half in each one, to give your pies a little surprise crunch.

Roll out the remainder of the pastry until it is wafer thin, and use the smaller cuter to cut out your lids.

Egg-wash the edges, top your mini pies and pinch to seal.

Make a little hole in each pie lid to let the steam escape as it cooks. Egg-wash the tops.

Bake for 15 minutes (no more as they can easily burst and burn).

Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Serves
makes 18 mini pies

Preparation Time
40 minutes

Cooking Time
15 minutes

Main ingredients
Dairy, Flour, Sugar

Recipe Type
Cakes & Baking, Cake Stall

Level of Difficulty
Easy

Marika Gauci, The Little Book of Pies, Square Peg, £10. Photograph by Sarah Cuttle.

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