Pumpkin, charred kale & onion tacos

Back in November I went for a mini foodie tour of Philly. I indulged in much gelato from Capogiro, ice cream at The Franklin Fountain, and lots of cheese and other goodies from Reading Terminal Market. (Can you tell I like dairy?) But for me, the standout dish was the seasonal pickle special at Village Whiskey - pickled pumpkin and charred kale served with toasted sourdough and ricotta.

 It was so simple, but so magical! The sweet pumpkin paired with slightly bitter charred kale, the vinegar cutting through the richness of the ricotta, and the satisfying crunch of the toast. SO GOOD! I haven't stopped thinking about it!

Inspired by that dish I came up with these tacos to satisfy my craving. No need to pickle anything - the tang comes from a sweet balsamic drizzle. If you can't find a fresh pumpkin, use a more readily available squash - like butternut - or even a sweet potato.

Pumpkin, charred kale & onion tacos

with ricotta and balsamic drizzle

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

3 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1/2 tsp, divided

3/4 tsp smoked paprika

1 small bunch kale, stemmed, leaves coarsely chopped

1 yellow onion, sliced

1/4 cup roasted pepitas

salt & pepper

fresh whole milk ricotta

corn tortillas

1. To make the balsamic drizzle, pour the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup into a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and let simmer until it has reduced by about 1/2 and has a slightly syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 425F. On a lightly oiled baking sheet toss the cubed pumpkin with 1 Tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread pumpkin evenly over the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until pumpkin is soft and brown in spots, about 20-30 minutes. Transfer pumpkin to a large bowl and set aside.

3. Set your oven to broil and set an oven rack about 3 inches below your broiler. Toss the kale leaves onto the same baking sheet you used for the pumpkin. Massage 1 Tbsp of oil into the kale leaves and season lightly with salt. Spread evening over the pan and then top the kale with slices of onion. Place kale and onion into the oven and broil for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is starting to brown and the kale is blackened in spots. Remove from oven and transfer to the bowl with the pumpkin. Gently mix the pumpkin, kale and onions together and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

4. To assemble, spread a dollop of fresh ricotta onto a corn tortilla, top with the pumpkin and kale mixture, a drizzle of the balsamic glaze and sprinkling of roasted pepitas. 

Kabocha Squash and Celeriac Soup with Duckfat-Roasted Pepitas

I'm about to embark on the utter madness that occurs in my kitchen between Thanksgiving and Christmas. In a whirlwind I go into the wee hours of the morning for a month and half making dishes for family gatherings, a feast for Friendsgiving, and candies and cookies like a good little Christmas elf. It's over in a flash and an explosion of wrapping paper, and all I'm left with is a giant pile of dishes!

Without fail, after a month of nonstop crazy, I get sick right before Christmas and go into hibernation until New Year's. You'd think I'd learn to slow down a bit, but I never do. MUST. BAKE. ALL. THE. THINGS!!!

Until that happens though, I will be busy playing and experimenting in the kitchen. And even with all the Christmas lights going up around me, my focus is still on Thanksgiving. Give the day its due, people! What's the rush with Christmas decor up in the stores in August and Halloween stuff gone off the shelves before we even get there?! Thanksgiving is a glorious day filled with gluttony and naps and football! What could be better??

And here's another thing, I feel like soup doesn't get its rightful place on the Thanksgiving menu. I can't think of anything more comforting and homey than a warm bowl of soup shared with family and friends. Not a large bowl, or a rich bowl, (you do need to fit in all those mashed potatoes and second servings of stuffing, after all) but a small, well-seasoned bowl of soup made from simple, seasonal ingredients. Now that's the way to start Thanksgiving in my opinion.

This kabocha squash and celeriac soup hits all the marks. It's slightly sweet and super creamy, but still light thanks to the low starch content of the celeriac. Top that with some savory pepitas roasted in duck fat (or bacon fat!) and some crisp apples, and it's perfection.

Kabocha Squash and Celeriac Soup

with Duckfat Roasted Pepitas
(makes 8-10 cups)

For the soup:

1 medium kabocha squash, about 2-3lbs, peeled, seeded, and flesh cut into 1 inch pieces

1 large bulb celeriac, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 large shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cinnamon

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup apple cider

2 sprigs thyme

1/2 cup cream (optional)
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tart apple, peeled, cored and finely diced (for garnish)

For the pepitas:
2 tsp duck fat, melted
1/2 cup pepitas 
1/2 tsp truffle salt, or kosher salt

1. For the soup: Preheat oven to 425F. Toss the squash and celeriac with olive oil and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Season well with salt and pepper and bake in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly brown and soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

2. While the squash and celeriac are roasting, melt the butter in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook just until fragrant, about a minute. Add the roasted vegetables, garam masala and cinnamon, stir and cook for a minute or two. Add the chicken stock, apple cider and thyme to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes. 

3. In batches, puree the soup in a blender until very smooth and creamy. Add additional stock to thin if needed. Pour the pureed soup back into a pot and stir in the cream if using. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed. Serve soup topped with diced apples and warm pepitas. (If you're making the soup in advance, don't add the cream until you're ready to serve.)

4. For the pepitas: Preheat oven to 350F. Toss the pepitas with the duck fat and 1/2 of the salt. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 of the salt. 

Orecchiette with Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Sausage

I never really ate brussels sprouts as a kid. Not because I didn't like them, but because I don't remember ever being introduced to them. See, both my parents had been burned by mushy, overcooked, boiled brussels sprouts as kids and never wanted to try them again as adults. And so, the great Brussels Sprout Hatred was almost perpetuated for another generation.

Finally, at some point in my young adulthood, despite all the horror stories I had heard, I decided to be so brave and had brussels sprouts cooked with bacon and onion at a friend's house. Now, that's the way to be introduced to brussels sprouts! Brussels&Bacon! As it turns out, they are pretty delicious and I've been hooked ever since.

Since then I've converted many a brussels sprout hater with roasted sprouts, raw sprout salads, and of course, the tried and true brussels&bacon! Now I think I have a new dish that can have much of the same effect - creamy, cheesy pasta with sweet squash, spicy sausage, and of course, brussels sprouts! Give a whirl and see if you can change some minds!

Orecchiette with Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Sausage

1lb orecchiette pasta

3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 lb brussels sprouts, halved

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1lb hot italian sausage links, about 4 links

1 large leek, white and light green only, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup apple cider

4 oz Mystic Cheese Company Melville, or marscarpone

1/3 cup parmigiano regiano, grated, plus more for serving

2 Tbsp sage, chopped

salt & pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Toss the squash and brussels sprouts with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until squash is tender and vegetables are beginning to brown. Set aside.

2. While the vegetables are roasting, in a large pot heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage links and cook, browning all sides, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Move cooked sausage to a plate and reduce heat to medium-low.

3. Cook your pasta in salted water according to package instructions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.

3. While the pasta is cooking, add the butter to the same pot you cooked the sausage. Add the sliced leek and a pinch of salt and cook on medium low until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the apple cider and continue to cook, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until all liquid is evaporated. Add the garlic and stir, cooking just until fragrant. 

4. Add the cooked pasta to the pot with the leeks, then add the Melville or marscarpone and half the reserved pasta water and stir until all the cheese is melted. Slice the cooked sausage and add that, the roasted squash and brussels sprouts, parmigiano, sage, remaining 1/2 cup pasta water and salt & pepper, to taste. Toss gently until well combined. Serve with extra grated parmigiano.

Raspberry-Apple Moonshine "Fish Egg" Shooters

If you know me then you know October is my favorite month of the year. Of course the leaves are changing, the air is cool and crisp, there's apple picking and apple baking, but most importantly, there's Halloween!!

Now, I tend to take the more creepy & gory route on Halloween as opposed to cute. You're more likely to find me giggling with pure glee at the sight of zombies chowing down on someone's face than covering my eyes and hiding under a blanket. I can't say my mom didn't try... but I can't help it that Xenomorphs and the Crypt Keeper are more fun than nail polish and rom-coms!

Anyway, what this all means is that I spend a lot of time thinking about and planning for Halloween. Besides decorations, a lot of the fun for me comes with thinking up creepy concoctions for my party menu. Most of the time you don't even need to make the food look extra scary, all you have to do is create a spooky ambiance at your table and give it an icky name - a hunk of gorgonzola with some prosciutto can become Moldy Cheese with Cured Epidermis, chili cheese dip can become Vomit, dates stuffed with cheese wrapped in bacon can be Roasted Roaches. You get the idea!

There's nothing scary about this Raspberry-Apple Moonshine cocktail, until you slap a "Mutated Fish Egg" label on it! It's delightfully light and fruity, and honestly would make a lovely drink any time of the year. Something about moonshine seems extra festive for Halloween - I'm not sure if it's because it has Moon in the name, or if it's because rednecks are scary. Either way, it makes a great mixer! I used Onyx Moonshine which is local to me, but with moonshine's popularity on the rise you shouldn't have a problem finding some in your neck of the woods!

Raspberry-Apple Moonshine "Fish Egg" Shooters

2 parts Red Jacket Orchards Raspberry-Apple juice, or similar juice blend

1 part moonshine

1/2 part Elderflower liqueur

splash of fresh lime juice

fresh pomegranate arils

1. In a pitcher, combine apple juice blend, moonshine, elderflower liqueur, and lime juice, to taste. Chill. Add 1/2-2 tablespoons of pomegranate arils (depending on the size of your serving glass) to the bottom of your shot glasses, cocktail glasses, or test tubes. Pour the cocktail over the pomegranate seeds and serve. 

Curried Beef Hand Pies with potatoes and peas

I love eating with my hands. Who doesn't? I mean, I'm not going to dive into a bowl of soup with my fingers, but a nice portable little package is always great. Bonus: less dishes to wash!

Ever since I started making this recipe I've been really into hand pies. Sweet, savory, whatever! In fact, since we left Yellowstone I've been talking about how we should move out there and open a pie shop in a gateway city, ha! They're convenient and super versatile, and while making them at home may not be a 30 minute meal, it's easy enough to double a batch to stick in the freezer for an extremely quick and easy lunch or dinner.

For this spin on hand pies I took my most beloved cheesy pastry dough and swapped out the cheddar for comté which I thought would play better with the flavor of the curry. The peas add a bright sweetness, the potatoes are creamy, and there's a nice pop of curry flavor all made extra rich with a light gravy. 

Don't let the length of the recipe scare you away from making these. You'll only actively be cooking or preparing components for about 30 minutes. If you want to make it even easier, just make the pie dough the day before. It's all basic stuff, and if you've made pie dough before then it will be easy peasy for sure! 

Curried Beef Hand Pies with potatoes and peas

(makes about 6-7 pies)

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp sweet curry powder

1/8 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks/8oz chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

4 oz comte, cubed

6-10 Tbsp ice water

eggwash: 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water

For the filling:

1 large yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 1/4 tsp sweet curry powder, divided

1/2 tsp garam masala, divided

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 lb 90/10 ground beef

1 Tbsp flour

1 cup chicken broth, divided

1/2 cup frozen peas, or fresh (blanched)

salt & pepper, to taste

1. To make the crust, add the flours, curry powder, garam masala, salt, cold cubed butter and comte cheese to the bowl of a food processor (you can do this by hand if you prefer of course.) Pulse the mixture about 5 times, or until the butter is cut into pieces the size of large peas. Drizzle in 6 Tbsp of water and pulse a few times, adding more water 1 Tbsp at a time if needed just until the dough holds together when you pinch it. Don't overdo it with the food processor - you want to see small chunks of butter in the flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a couple times until it holds together. Flatten it into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but can be held overnight.

2. To make the filling, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cubed potatoes and cook until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Once the potatoes are done, drain well and add them to the hot pan. Add 1/4 tsp curry powder, 1/8 tsp garam masala and a pinch of salt. Stir well and cook just until some of the potatoes are lightly browned, about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan to a small bowl and set aside. 

3. Return the pan to the stove and reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then add the onion. Cook until soft and lightly brown, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and stir just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef, remaining teaspoon of curry powder, 1/4 tsp garam masala, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until beef is browned and cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. Add the Tablespoon of flour, stir well and cook for another minute or 2. Slowly pour in 3/4 cup of chicken broth (reserve the rest) and bring to a boil. Add the reserved potatoes and cook until liquid is thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook just until heated through. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed. Remove from heat and let mixture cool to room temperature. 

4. Once the filling is cooled, look to see if it seems dry. The potatoes will absorb some of the gravy, so if it seems lacking on the gravy or needs to be loosened up a bit, add some of the reserved chicken broth and stir until it is moist. 

5. Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the refrigerated dough and place it on a lightly floured counter and lightly dust the top with flour. Roll the dough out to slightly less than 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out the pie shells using a 6 inch circular cutter if you have it, or find some other instrument like tupperware that's roughly the same size (I used the top of my food processor), or use a knife. Gather up the scraps and re-roll as needed to get 6-7 circles. 

6. Distribute the cooled filling evenly onto the center of each circle of pie dough. Wet the edges of the dough slightly with a little water on your finger, and fold dough in half over the filling. Pinch the edges tightly together and seal by pressing with a fork. Using a fork, poke a few holes in the top of each pie crust, then brush the tops lightly with the eggwash. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before eating. These also freeze beautifully - just cool to room temp, wrap in plastic and place in a resealable plastic bag and freeze! They can be reheated in the oven straight from the freezer. 

Autumn Sangria with Hard Cider

This past weekend I did all the apple picking and cider mill hopping that I wanted to at Holmberg Orchards and B.F. Clyde's here in CT. Now my kitchen is stocked with fresh pressed cider, apples for pie, and some of my favorite hard cider which I've used to conjure up an enticing autumn brew!

Everyone loves sangria - it's sweet, smooth, contains yummy bits of fruit to nom on and goes down WAY too easily. It's something I personally associate with warm weather and time spent outside in the sun, while apple cider is something I crave as soon as the crisp fall air comes around and daylight dwindles. But why not combine the two by replacing the grape wine with hard cider?

Choose a cider that is sweet, not dry, for this recipe. If you live in an area with lots of apple orchards, chances are you might have a local cider mill that crafts hard cider, so look around for local tastings. Otherwise a couple bottles of a sweeter variety of the popular brands like Woodchuck or Crispin would work. I used a bottle of Macintosh from Holmberg Orchards for the CT area folks! 

Autumn Sangria with Hard Cider

(makes about 6 servings)

1 sweet apple, cored and sliced

1 tart apple, cored and cut into cubes

3/4 cup fall raspberries

6 seckel pears, whole

1 750mL bottle hard cider

1/2 cup bourbon

2 Tbsp Calvados or other apple brandy

1 cup ginger beer

1. To a large pitcher add all the prepared fruit. Pour in the bourbon, calvados and ginger beer and stir. Slowly add the bottle of hard cider. Set in the fridge for 2 hours and serve. (If you'd prefer to preserve more carbonation, serve immediately or hold off on adding the hard cider until serving. It is delicious even when completely flat though!)

Pork Meatball Banh Mi

Well I'm back from vacation, and Yellowstone and the Tetons were amazing! It was incredibly difficult to leave and I would seriously consider living out there someday. At least we came back home to my favorite time of the year here in the Northeast, and I'm happy to be home cooking again!

So this was pretty much the first thing I made when I came home. Fresh flavors combined in a good hearty sandwich seemed like a nice transition to fall. And this is what every great sandwich should be - messy, meaty, crunchy, chewy goodness. As always, you can adjust this to your palate and remove the seeds from the jalapenos and chop them or omit them entirely. The sriracha mayo adds a very mellow heat, but reduce the sriracha in it if you need to!

Also, just FYI, sandwiches are a gigantic pain in the ass to take photos of. Just letting that be known for posterity...

Pork Meatball Banh Mi
(makes 4 sandwiches)

Sriracha Mayo

1/2 cup mayo

1 heaping Tbsp sriracha 

2 green onions, finely chopped

Quick-pickled Carrot & Radish

1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup shredded or julienne carrot

1 cup shredded or julienne shunyko or daikon radish

Pork Meatballs

1 lb ground pork

2 green onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup basil, finely chopped

1 Tbsp sriracha

1 Tbsp fish sauce

2 tsp corn starch

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 Tbsp sesame oil

For assembly:

4 6-inch long pieces of baguette
fresh cilantro sprigs
thinly sliced jalapenos

1. For mayo: combine mayo, sriracha, and green onions in a small bowl. Cover and set in the fridge.

2. For pickled veg: combine vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Add the carrot and radish and toss until well coated. Cover and set aside for 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

3. For meatballs: In a medium bowl combine pork, green onions, garlic, basil, sriracha, fish sauce, corn starch, sugar, salt and pepper and mix gently but thoroughly. With moistened hands, form meat mixture into about 1-inch sized meatballs. Heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the meatballs and cook, turning frequently, until brown and cooked through. Transfer to plate while you assemble the sandwiches. 

4. To assemble: Slice the baguette pieces in half and pull out some of the soft bread innards (save and dry out for breadcrumbs if you like.) Spread some of prepared mayo on the inside of each piece of baguette. Add some cilantro and jalapeno to the bottom halves, then top each bottom half with 1/4 of the meatballs. Drain the carrots & radishes and place atop the meatballs. Press on the tops of the baguettes and serve!
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

Thai Turkey Meatballs with wilted tatsoi

 

Well, folks, I'm leaving for vacation in a few days for 2 whole weeks! We are heading out to explore Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons. I'm wicked excited, but I won't be cooking or photographing much food (just mountains, wolves and bears, oh my!) so I wanted to get up a post before I go MIA again!

This dish is a staple meal of mine. Even moreso since my favorite local farmers' market, Coventry Regional Farmers' Market, acquired Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm as a new vendor this year. They raise pastured turkey and I buy a package of ground turkey meat almost every week for various purposes - burgers, meatloaf, and of course these meatballs! 

I love thai food because it hits all the marks for me - sweet, sour, salty, spicy. The flavor of these only improves overnight so they make excellent leftovers. I made this version in the spring when the markets were overflowing with greens and tried tatsoi for the first time. I loved it in this dish for it's mildly bitter, mustardy flavor, but you could absolutely use spinach or another green in its stead. And if you aren't a heatseeker like me, feel free to omit the jalapeno.

Thai Turkey Meatballs

with wilted tatsoi

For the meatballs:

5 shiitake mushrooms

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

2 tsp thai green curry paste

2 tsp minced ginger

2 Tbsp fish sauce

1/3 cup green onion, chopped

pinch of sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil 

For the coconut curry sauce:

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp jalapeno, minced (optional)

1 Tbsp ginger, minced

1/3 cup green onion, chopped

1 small bunch tatsoi, chopped, or your choice of greens (such as 2-3 cups packed fresh spinach)

1 13oz can unsweetened coconut milk

3 Tbsp thai green curry paste, or to taste (it will depend on the type of curry paste you have)

1 tsp fish sauce, or to taste

juice and zest of 1/2 - 1 lime

1. For the meatballs: In a small bowl, pour boiling water over the mushrooms and let them soak for at least 30 minutes. Remove the stems, chop finely, and squeeze out some of the excess water. Place in a large bowl.

2. To the mushrooms, add the turkey, curry paste, ginger, fish sauce, green onion, sugar, egg, cilantro and garlic. Mix gently until well combined. Using slightly wet hands, form into 1 to 1 1/2 inch meatballs. They will be fairly loose and may not completely hold their shape; that's ok.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the meatballs until well browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside in a large bowl.

4. For the coconut curry: To the same pan add the garlic, jalapeno, ginger and green onion. Sautee, stirring constantly, just until fragrant. Add the chopped tatsoi and stir just until it has wilted slightly. Pour in the coconut milk, curry paste and fish sauce, bring to a simmer and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the meatballs and any accumulated juices back to the pan with the coconut mixture, cover and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the greens are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, taste for seasoning and serve with rice or just as-is!

Savory Pork & Apple Hand Pies

 

Pie - it's not just for dessert!

I had never had a meat pie before, but I've been wanting to make one for a long time now. What is there not to love about a flaky crust filled with meat and veggies? Then I decided that this past weekend was the perfect opportunity to make some little hand pies for the Season 2 premiere of Game of Thrones. Those folks love themselves some meat pies!

I've had this recipe on my "to make" list for months now, so I decided to adapt it to make these hand pies. Maybe it's not authentic Game of Thrones fare, but they sure were delicious. The crust is exceptionally good and flaky with a hint of cheddar. The spices in the pork paired with the apples hints at sweetness without overdoing it. It all comes together into the perfect savory, sweet, cheesy, buttery bite.

Trust me, you need to make these. I love them as hand pies because they're cute! and easy to share, but you could certainly make this in a regular pie dish if you prefer. 

Pork and Apple Hand Pies

Makes about 6 hearty pies

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks/8oz chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

4 oz sharp cheddar, cubed

6-10 Tbsp ice water

1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water

For the filling:

about 3 large apples, I used a mixture of Granny Smith and Gala, unpeeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4 inch thick wedges

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 small onion, very finely chopped

1 lb ground pork

1 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp cloves

1/8 tsp allspice

a few good twists of fresh ground black pepper

2 Tbsp plain breadcrumbs

1. To make the crust, add the flours, sage, salt, cold cubed butter and cheese to the bowl of a food processor (you can do this by hand if you prefer of course.) Pulse the mixture about 5 times, or until the butter is cut into pieces the size of large peas. Drizzle in 6 Tbsp of water and pulse a few times, adding more water 1 Tbsp at a time if needed just until the dough holds together when you pinch it. Don't overdo it with the food processor - you want to see small chunks of butter in the flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a couple times until it holds together. Flatten it into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minuts.

2. Meanwhile, to make the filling, heat a large pan over medium low heat and saute the apples just until the soften ever so slightly, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add the oil to the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and add the onion. Cook for a minute or two and then add the pork, sugar, salt, pepper and spices. cook the pork mixture until no longer pink, using a spoon or potato masher to break up the meat, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add the breadcrumbs to the pork and pulse 5 times, or until the the pork is broken up and well mixed. Set this aside while you prepare the crust.

3. Preheat the oven to 425F. Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured counter and lightly dust the top with flour. Roll the dough out to slightly less than 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out 6 pie shells with a 5 inch circular cutter if you have it, or find some other instrument like tupperware that's roughly the same size, or use a knife. Gather up the scraps and re-roll if necessary and cut out 6 more circles, slightly larger than the first - about 5 1/2 inches (I just rolled my cutter around into a wider circle.)

4. Arrange the smaller circles a couple inches apart onto a non stick baking sheet, or line a sheet with parchment paper. Arrange two layers of sliced apples on each circle, leaving about a 1/4 inch border all around the edges. Place a 1/6th of the pork mixture (about a good handful) in a mound on top of the apples. Don't be afraid to really pack it on there. Drape the larger circles over the pork and tightly pinch the edges together and seal by pressing a fork all around the edges. Lightly brush each pie with the egg wash mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and dig in!