Turkey Sausage, Sweet Potato & Sage Hand Pies (Pasties)

By Foodiewife

I developed this recipe to be my American version of Cornish Pasties. While the filling isn't the traditional Cornish meat, potato and rutabaga filling-- I used Jimmy Deal Sausage Crumbles and added sweet potatoes, onion, fresh herbs and a "wee" bit of dried cranberries. You could use a pre-made pie crust but I made my own, with a combination of butter and organic shortening. You can make the dough one or two days in advance. The fully-cooked Jimmy Deal Sausage crumbles was a true time saver. These are wonderful portable "lunches", which is why the Cornwall coal miners wive's packed these meals for their hard-working husbands. This recipe was developed by me, for the Jimmy Dean Sausage company. Please click on the recipe source, to visit my blog post, and see how I made these. Plus, you can help me win a contest! Thanks!

Ingredients

• CRUST:
• 3 3 3 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for rolling the dough
• 4 4 4 ounces shortening or lard
• 4 4 4 ounces (1-stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• Pinch Pinch of salt
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup ice water
• FILLING:
• 1 1 bag 1 (9-ounces) bag Jimmy Dean fully-cooked turkey sausage crumbles
• 1 1 1-cup) small white or yellow onion, finely minced (about 1-cup)
• 1 1 1 cup diced sweet potato, cut into even small pieces
• 2 2 2 tablespoons fresh sage***, finely chopped
• 2 2 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 2 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 1 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 2 2 2 teaspoons pure olive oil
• 1 1 1 cup dried cranberries, divided
• 1 1 1 egg & water (for the egg wash)
• to can skip making the dough, and buy a refrigerate pie crust dough. However, I think this dough recipe is very easy to make and taste a whole lot better!
• to 1 be substituted for sage, but reduce to 1 Tablespoon

Preparation

Step 1

For the crust (note: I prefer to mix my dough in a food processor, but you can also use a pastry cutter or your own fingers:
Using a food processor, pulse the flour and salt together.
Add the butter and shortening, and pulse a few times, until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.
Very slowly, add the ice water, in small increments and pulse until the dough comes together, adding a little more water as needed.
Once the dough binds together.

"Plop" the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and gently press into a round circle. Cover with plastic wrap, and "roll" the edges to create an even round disk.

Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, to allow the dough to relax.
Note: You can prepare the dough up to 2 days in advance.

Filling:
In a large bowl, add the Jimmy Dean sausage crumbles, onion, sweet potatoes, herbs, salt & pepper and olive oil.
Gently stir to combine.

Pastry:
Remove the dough, from the refrigerator, and divide into 8 even pieces.
(Make sure the dough is cold for easier handling.)
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a ball, and using a rolling pin, roll out, from the center. Give a 1/4 turn, roll, turn, roll.
Note: This prevents the dough from "sticking".

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or generously grease a baking sheet.
Whisk the egg with a splash of water and set aside.

Using a 6-inch plate, cut the dough into a round shape.
With a pastry brush, brush a bit of the egg wash around the outside edge of the pastry.
Fill the center of the pastry with a mound of filling (about 1/2 cup).
Add a small handful of the cranberries (about 1 Tablespoon)
Fold the dough over, gently pressing the edges of the dough together.
Crimp together with the tines of a fork, or use a folding technique to create a pretty crimp.
(I use a pastry dough press set, which is a bit of cheating, but fun to do.

Cut three small slits in the top of each "pasty" and brush with the egg wash.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!

Note: You can freeze unbaked pasties. To serve, brush with an egg wash, and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, depending on your oven.