Head to your garden and local market for heirloom tomatoes, herbs, and pimiento cheese to make these savory pies.
Cheesy Tomato Hand Pies
Makes About 9
Ingredients
- ½ cup roughly chopped heirloom tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup pimiento cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
- Cream Cheese Pie Dough (recipe follows)
Cream Cheese Pie Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 6 ounces cold cream cheese, cubed
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 6 tablespoons cold water
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and another rimmed baking sheet with paper towels.
- On paper towel-lined baking sheet, place tomatoes and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes; pat dry with additional paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, pimiento cheese, and basil. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll Cream Cheese Pie Dough to ⅛ inch thick. Using a 3½-inch round cutter, cut dough, rerolling scraps once, to create 18 circles. Brush half of circles with egg wash; place 1½ tablespoons tomato mixture in center of circles. Top with plain dough circles, crimping edges with a fork dipped in flour. Brush tops with egg wash. Using a paring knife, cut small x-shaped vents into tops. Transfer pies to parchment-lined pan.
- Bake until crispy and light golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Cream Cheese Pie Dough
- In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, salt, and baking powder to combine. Add cream cheese, and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add butter, and pulse 4 times.
- In a small bowl, combine 6 tablespoons cold water and vinegar. Slowly pour water mixture into flour mixture in a slow, steady stream, pulsing until butter is pea-size and dough holds together when pinched, about 6 pulses.
- On a clean work surface, turn out dough and knead into a ball. Shape into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 3 days. If chilling for more than 1 hour, let dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.