Columns, Recipes

Easy As π: Celebrating Pi(e) Day With Irish Pasties

Posted by Krista on

Sweet, savory, irrational…it doesn’t matter what type of pi(e) you’re celebrating today! Started as a fun holiday by the Exploratorium in San Francisco, CA in 1988, people all over the world now gather annually on March 14th to celebrate the mathematical constant of pi (π). The holiday is often observed with pie feasts, pie-throwing contests, memorization challenges, and a chance to learn more about the fun side of mathematics. This year, we are opting for some Irish-themed hand pies as both Pi Day and St. Patrick’s Day are so close together and the recipe we have crafted could be used for either event.

Savory Irish Hand Pies

Serving Size:
8-10 Hand Pies
Time:
45 – 60 minutes
Difficulty:
Medium

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 lb Ground Lamb
  • 1/4 cup Carrots, diced
  • 1/2 cup Onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup Potatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup Cabbage, shredded
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 Tbsp Thyme, dried
  • 2 Tbsp Dry Mustard
  • 12 oz Guinness Draught (1 bottle)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Brown the lamb, drain off fat.
  2. Add onion, carrots, potatoes, garlic, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly until veggies start to soften.
  3. Pour Guinness over the mixture and add the cabbage. Cook until most of the liquid is gone.
  4. Remove from heat and allow to cool before stuffing pies.

Pastry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 8-10 Tbsp Cold Water
  • 2/3 cup Shortening
  • 1 Egg Yolk, optional

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in Shorting until pieces are roughly pea sized.
  2. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp water over part of the mixture. gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat, using 1 Tbsp at a time, until all the dough is moistened.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin sheet. Cut 16 – 20 circles to make tops and bottoms for the pies.

To Make The Hand Pies

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Place 1/4 cup lamb mixture on pastry circle.
  3. Use a pastry brush to dab the edge of the dough with milk or water. Top with another pastry circle. Press the two circles together to seal the pie.
  4. Continue until all pies are made.
  5. Place on cookies sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Optional: Brush the tops of each pie with a mixture of 1 egg yolk and 1 Tbsp water for browning.
  7. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

All photos for this article were taken and edited by Krista.