Spicy Country Meat Pies

SERVINGS: 10 pies

INGREDIENTS

For Pie Dough:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons lard
2½ cups flour, plus more for kneading
½ teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons fresh thyme
5 tablespoons whole milk
1 large egg
For Meat Pies:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb HORMEL® CURE 81® Diced Ham
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper
½ cup diced yellow onion
cup minced red bell pepper
cup minced green bell pepper
¼ cup minced celery
1 tablespoons finely minced garlic
½ tablespoons Creole seasoning
½ cup diced sweet potato, blanched in salted water 1 minute
½ cup cooked crowder or field peas
1 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoons cane syrup
2 tablespoons bourbon
¼ cup ham or chicken stock
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
Pie Dough
1 large egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

For Pie Dough:
1. Dice butter and lard; freeze 30 minutes.
2. Combine 2½ cups flour, baking powder, salt, and thyme in food processor and pulse.
3. Scatter frozen butter and lard over flour. Pulse mixture until it resembles a coarse meal.
4. Whisk together milk and egg. Place flour mixture in stainless-steel bowl. With a fork, slowly blend in milk mixture until dough just barely begins to come together.
5. Flour hands and dough and knead dough lightly in bowl until it just comes together. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead, folding dough over several times, until it just begins to look homogenous.
6. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate to let relax, 30 minutes.

For Meat Pies:
1. Make filling: Warm olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Toss in CURE 81^® Diced Ham. Transfer with a slotted spoon to small bowl.
2. Add onion, red and green bell peppers, celery, and garlic to skillet. Sauté over medium heat until vegetables begin to wilt. Add Creole seasoning, sweet potato, and peas and warm through. Add ham and combine. Stirring, sprinkle flour over mixture and combine well. Stir in cane syrup, bourbon, and stock and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. As soon as liquid thickens, remove from heat and stir in scallions. Set aside to cool.
3. Assemble: Heat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on floured work surface to just over ⅛ inch thick. Cut into 3½-inch circles. Put about 1½ tablespoons filling on half of each dough circle. Brush edges of dough with beaten egg and fold dough over, crimping with fork to seal. Brush top of pie with egg. Repeat with all dough circles.
4. Bake pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with Sriracha Mayonnaise, if desired. Makes about 10 pies.