Savory Meat Pies with Spicy Harissa

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Step 1

Start by making the harissa: toss the chile peppers, garlic, olive oil, chili powder, coriander, cumin, lime granules, and sea salt into a food processor and pulse until everything is nicely blended. Scoop out about half a cup of this spicy paste to use in the filling, and pop the rest in the fridge for later.

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Step 2

Next, get going on the pastry. In the food processor, sift together the flour, chili powder, cumin, and sea salt. Add the butter and shortening, then pulse until the mixture looks crumbly. With the processor running, slowly pour in the cold beer until the dough comes together in a ball and starts to pull away from the sides.

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Step 3

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured silicone mat and roll it out until it’s about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out eight circles about 8 inches across. Cover them with wax paper or a damp cloth to keep them from drying out while you make the filling. If you’re prepping the dough ahead and refrigerating it overnight, let it warm up on the counter for at least 15 minutes before rolling.

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Step 4

For the filling, heat some oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground beef along with salt, pepper, cumin, and thyme. Cook, breaking it up with your spoon, until the beef is browned and crumbly, which should take around 10 minutes. Mix in the reserved harissa, then add the bread crumbs, beef stock, chili powder, and cayenne. Cover and let it simmer, stirring now and then, until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the filling feels moist but not wet—about 10 to 15 minutes. Set it aside to cool.

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Step 5

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease a baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the beer and egg to make a wash.

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Step 6

Lay out the dough circles and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meat filling into the center of each, leaving some space around the edges. Brush the edges with the beer-egg wash, then fold the dough over to make a half-moon shape. Press the edges together and seal them by pinching with a fork. Give the tops a light brush of the wash, then place them on the baking sheet.

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Step 7

Pop the pies in the oven and bake until they’re golden brown, which usually takes about 20 minutes. Let them cool a bit before digging in!