What’s not to love about a hand pie? It's a perfectly sized summer treat, showcasing the first of the season strawberries.
For the crust:
- 2 cups AP flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into pats
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons cold milk
For the filling:
- 1 2/3 cups trimmed, quartered fresh or frozen strawberries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 large egg, beaten; for sealing dough
- Coarse sparkling sugar
To make the pastry:
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Work in the butter until pecan-sized lumps form.
- Add the combined egg and milk, mixing to make a cohesive dough.
- Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a 3" x 5" rectangle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the filling:
- Combine all the ingredients except the egg in a saucepan set over medium heat.
- Cook until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. and cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.
- Place one piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a 9" x 12" rectangle. Trim the edges to make them straight. Cut out nine 3" x 4" rectangles. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Divide the filling among nine of the rectangles, using a heaping tablespoon for each. Brush some beaten egg along the edges.
- Cut a vent into the remaining rectangles, using a decorative cutter.
- Top the filled rectangles with the vented rectangles. Press along the edges with the tines of a fork or a crimper to seal.
- Brush the tops of the pies with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Transfer to the baking sheet.
- Bake the pies for 28 to 33 minutes, until they're a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool completely.