Child-friendly, flaky pastry vegan hand pies with a Mexican inspired black bean and corn filling.
How is everyone doing out there? Spring has arrived in my little corner of the world. Blossoms are out, my herb garden is thriving and we're having more and more sunny days. The evenings are still cool (as are some days) so while our meals are starting to lighten up a little, we haven't quite said goodbye to cosy dinners.
One of the first pies I learned to make was a good old Cornish pasty in Home Economics class at intermediate (middle school). My girls will eat almost anything surrounded in pastry, so every now and then when we feel like a change I'll make something in pie format especially for them.
These vegan hand pies are much tastier than the Cornish pasties I made all those years ago, and an absolute hit with my kids. The flavours are loosely Mexican and inspired by South American empanadas, but using store bought pastry and pantry friendly ingredients.
You could also pop a little grated cheese (regular or vegan) in the pastry parcel, if you like. I like these with some heat – ground chilli, cayenne pepper, chilli flakes, chopped fresh chilli or pickled jalapenos are all good additions. I've kept the recipe mildly spiced, but feel free to amp it up if that's how you roll.
Serve these vegan hand pies with a fresh salad or steamed greens for balanced meal. They're also great finger food - perfect for parties or to take to a potluck dinner.
If you'd like to make your own pastry, try this vegan puff pastry recipe from Nicole at Delicious Everyday.
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Get the recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon oil (I use grapeseed oil)
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 1 small red capsicum (bell pepper) or half a large one, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon ground chilli (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 can black beans drained
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup frozen corn kernels
- A squeeze of lime or lemon juice
- 4 sheets flaky puff pastry (vegan if required)
- Soy milk or milk of your choice, to glaze
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F) fanbake.
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions, garlic and red capsicum with oregano, cumin, chilli and salt for a few minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add the black beans, tomato paste and water, then simmer for 5 minutes. Use a potato masher to roughly mash some of the mixture, to create a thick but chunky texture. Stir through the frozen corn and cook for a few more minutes. Add a squeeze of lime or lemon and taste to adjust seasoning if needed.
- Cut 11-12cm (approximately 4.5") circles from pastry sheets (I cut around a small bowl turned upside down). Fill each pasty with about a tablespoon of filling (avoid overfilling), lightly moisten one edge, fold in half to close, then crimp the edges together with a fork. Prick each pie with a fork a few times to let out steam. Brush with a little soy milk to glaze.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry is deep golden brown.
RECIPE NOTES
- Nutrition information is estimate.
- I use New Way Flaky Puff Pastry, which is vegan and available from most supermarkets in New Zealand. You can use the pastry you prefer, or make your own.
- First published in the Winter 2020 issue of Nourish Magazine.
Brittney
These are great. I've made these for my daycare kids and they go over really well. Toddlers and preschoolers can be a tough audience for new foods so this a big deal 🙂 Any suggestions on freezing/preparing ahead?
Amber
Awesome to hear Brittney! My kids love them too. I haven't made them ahead but I can't see any reason at all that you couldn't freeze them. I would make them, filled and all, then freeze free flow and bag them. They'd be easy to pull out and fire in to the oven when needed. I'd cook them from frozen, for a little longer to ensure the filling is heated through.
Becks Low
I have made these a few times now and they are our new favorite pie. Very tasty and easy to make
Amber
Awesome, I'm so glad you like them!