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Nigerian Meat Pie Recipe

Nigerian Meat Pie

iamwinfred
Nigerian meat pie is the golden, slightly flaky hand pie you will find at every party, bakery, and Sunday lunch table across Nigeria. It is packed with well seasoned ground beef, soft potatoes, and sweet carrots, all wrapped in a buttery pastry that is sturdy enough to hold in your hand and eat on the go. This Nigerian meat pie recipe walks you through the exact dough and filling ratios that give you that bakery style crust and a filling that stays juicy instead of dry, so you get the same pies you would find from your favorite Nigerian bakery, right out of your own oven.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine African
Servings 12 meat pies
Calories 405 kcal

Equipment

  • Food processor for cutting cold fat into flour quickly and evenly
  • Round pastry cutter or a small bowl, for shaping the pie rounds
  • Rolling Pin for rolling the dough to an even thickness
  • Large skillet or saucepan, for cooking the filling
  • Pastry brush for applying the egg wash
  • Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  • Fork for crimping the pie edges shut

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups all purpose flour 500g, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter 225g, cubed
  • 1/2 cup cold margarine 115g, cubed
  • 3/4 cup ice cold water up to 1 cup, as needed
  • 1 large egg beaten, for the egg wash
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • 1 pound ground beef 450g
  • 2 Maggi or Knorr beef bouillon cubes crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon Nigerian or Caribbean curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled, diced small, and parboiled
  • 2 medium carrots diced small, and parboiled
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons flour whisked with 1/2 cup water, for thickening

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl or food processor, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add cold butter and margarine, then pulse or rub until mixture resembles coarse sand with pea-sized pieces. Add ice water gradually until dough just comes together. Shape into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook for 5-7 minutes until fully browned with no pink remaining.
  • Crumble beef bouillon cubes into the skillet, then add curry powder, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cook for another minute to bloom the spices.
  • Add parboiled potatoes and carrots to the skillet. Whisk flour and water into a slurry, then pour into the skillet. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and spread filling on a plate to cool completely.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour your work surface and roll chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out circles using a 5-6 inch pastry cutter or bowl. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut more circles.
  • Spoon about 2 tablespoons of cooled filling onto one half of each dough circle, leaving a border. Brush the edge with water or egg wash. Fold the empty half over the filling to form a half moon, press edges together, and crimp firmly with a fork.
  • Arrange pies on prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown. Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

  • Keep your butter and margarine cold right up until they go into the flour – this is what creates the flaky layers.
  • Do not skip cooling the filling completely; warm filling will make your dough soggy and hard to seal.
  • Dice the potatoes and carrots small so they cook evenly and fit neatly inside each pie.
  • Crimp the edges firmly with a fork; a weak seal is the most common reason filling leaks out during baking.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the filled, unbaked pies for 10 minutes before baking to help them hold their shape.
  • Swap the ground beef for ground chicken or ground turkey for a lighter filling.
  • Add a handful of frozen green peas along with the potatoes and carrots for extra color and flavor.
  • Use a mix of butter only (no margarine) for a richer, more buttery crust.
  • Make mini versions using a smaller cutter for bite sized party appetizers.
  • Store cooled pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze baked, cooled pies for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven to keep the pastry crisp.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meat pieCalories: 405kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 11gFat: 23.5gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 400mgPotassium: 350mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 12mg
Keyword african meat pie, beef hand pie, flaky pastry pie, nigerian meat pie
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