Quick Mincemeat Pies
By Dan Macey
Be forewarned: the traditional British fruit-based filling is usually soaked in brandy for up to two weeks to hydrate the fruit and produce a soft, syrupy texture. The small, hand-held pies were originally filled with beef—minced beef tongue was the most popular—and were a way to eat preserved meat without a strong "meaty" flavor, thanks to the generous addition of spices and dried fruits. Today’s pies are a combination of dried fruits such as raisins, fresh fruit, alcohol, spices, and sugar served around Christmas. While you can make the filling mixture from scratch, this recipe uses a store-bought jarred minced pie mixture.
Photo by Paul Savidge, Food styling by Dan Macey
Ingredients
2 refrigerated pie crust dough
29-ounce jar of mincemeat filling
1 large egg, beaten
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Roll out the dough and cut into 18 squares. Press each square into one of muffin tins, with the edges coming up over the sides of the tin.
- Spoon some of the jarred mincemeat filling into each muffin tin. Crimp the sides of the dough of each tin. If you want, use a pizza cutter, sharp knife or pastry wheel to cut the pie crust into 16 strips that are approximately ½ inch thick. Then carefully thread the strips over and under one another to make a weave topping on top of each muffin tin. Trim off any excess overhang on the pie. Then crimp the edges of the dough with a fork or with your fingers.
- Gently brush the top of the pie crust with the egg.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the pies are golden brown.
