Small in size, big in flavor. This Mushroom and Cheese Hand Pie have a nice tangy and creamy dough and filled with tasty mushroom and cheese filling.

What To Expect

My first bite took me by surprise. The dough is not like any other dough, it’s so creamy and it felt like it melts in the mouth, but what hits me the most is how flavorful and tasty the mushroom and cheese filling. It was spicy than regular (just a heads up), and that spicy taste when mixed with the creamy soft dough is just like a symphony of beautiful flavor.

The Cream Cheese Dough

I’ll go straight to the point, it’s the dough. This is a cream cheese dough, not the regular all flour and butter dough. The use of cream cheese is what makes the dough creamy and tangy, just like the taste that you get from cream cheese. This was the first time that I’ve made dough with cream cheese, and I was happy I had chance to give it a try, it was a good change. I have to warn you though, dough made with cream cheese are more challenging to handle because it softens easily and it gets sticky so it needs a good amount of chilling just enough to make it manageable.

Alternative Dough

You can also use a Empanada Pastry Dough, a Pizza Dough or a regular Pie Crust to make this recipe. Expect a different texture but taste great regardless which one you choose. You can even use store-bought dough if you really do not have the time (or the patience) to make your own dough. I have moments like that too, so it  is always handy for me to have frozen ready to use puff pastry or pie crust dough in the freezer.

The Filling

The filling is a simple mushroom and cheese, with plenty of spices to flavor it. This one is quite spicy as that is how I always like my food. Feel free to reduce or remove peppers if you are not into spicy food. You can also add some spinach, bell pepper or a potato filling will work great too. use this as a guide, fill it with what makes your tummy happy, after all you are the master of this adorable hand pie. It yours to change as you please.

Cream Cheese Pastry Ingredients:

• 4 ounces full fat Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup  unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/3 teaspoon table Salt

Note: Pastry ingredients can be safely doubled for a larger batch but you also need to make more filling.

Mushroom Filling Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 small Onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic – minced
• 175 grams Mushrooms, finely chopped (I used white button mushrooms)
• 1 whole fresh Jalapeno – chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried Thyme
• 1 tsp Salt (Add gradually so that you can adjust to your preference)
• 1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Chili Flakes (Add gradually so that you can adjust to your preference
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated Sugar
• 2 tablespoon Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Mozzarella Cheese

Optional:

• Egg Wash – 1 egg + 1 teaspoon water
• 1 teaspoon sesame seed

Instructions:

1. Cream Cheese Pastry: In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), place the butter and cream cheese. Mix on medium low-speed until creamy and smooth. Add the flour and, on medium low-speed, beat until incorporated. Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Flatten each piece of dough into a round and wrap in plastic. Chill in the refrigerator until firm (about one hour or up to two days).
2. Mushroom Filling: Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute about one minute. Add the mushrooms and saute until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have softened. Season with thyme, jalapeno pepper, salt, black pepper, chili flakes and sugar and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream cheese. Set aside to cool to room temperature, or refrigerate. (Note: the filling can be made the day before, covered, and refrigerated.)
3. Assemble Mushroom Hand Pie: When you’re ready to assemble the pie, remove the pastry from the refrigerator. If it is too hard to roll, leave in the counter few minutes to soften. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to 1/8 inch thick. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center outwards). When the pastry is rolled to the desired thickness, cut into 8 squares or circles. Gather up leftover scraps, re-roll, and cut out more square or circles. If the dough becomes too soft to handle, return to the refrigerator to chill.
4. Fill: Then, on one half of each pastry, place about one teaspoon (do not over fill) of the mushroom filling and grated cheese. With a pastry brush, brush the edges of each circle with water. Fold the pastry over the filling and, using your fingertips, gently seal the top of the pastry to the bottom. Then, using the tines of a fork, seal the edges of the turnovers. Place the pies on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill in the freezer while you preheat the oven.
5. Preheat your oven to 400F degress F (200C).
6. Egg Wash: Brush top with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seed (optional).
7. Bake the Mushroom pies for about 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
   • If you are baking it straight from the freezer (frozen), Bake for 25 minutes.

Makes 8 pieces

Good to Know:

• The unbaked Mushroom Pie can be frozen. Place the turnovers in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until frozen (you can leave it overnight). Then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2-3 months. The pie can be baked directly from the freezer. They will take a few minutes longer to bake, about 5 minutes more.
• Alternatively, you can also use regular Pie Crust or Empanada Dough or Pizza Dough (like mini Calzone) to make this recipe. Store-bought or homemade will both work. Adjust baking time as needed.

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