8 tablespoons cold ghee, broken into pea sized pieces
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated and chilled
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 to ⅓ cup ice water
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
For the Strawberry Filling
1 ½ cups diced strawberries
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
To make the dough, place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse twice to combine.
Step 3
Sprinkle the cold ghee and grated cheddar evenly inside the food processor and pulse about 5 times, or until the mixture begins to look like coarse sand. It's better to under process than over, so a few larger pieces of ghee and cheese are ok.
Step 4
Pour in the vinegar. With the mixer running on low, slowly add in the ice water just until the dough begins to come together, starting with the ¼ cup. If the dough is too dry, add additional water to barely bring the dough together.
Step 5
Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and then use the plastic wrap to form the dough into a flat disk. Wrap the dough tightly and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 15 minutes
Step 6
To make the strawberry filling place all the filling ingredients into a bowl and stir until the strawberries are fully coated.
Step 7
When the dough is chilled, place it on a lightly dusted work surface and dust the top with a bit of flour. Roll the dough out into a 10 inch by 15 inch rectangle, about ⅛ in thick. Cut the dough into 6 squares that are 5x5 inches each.
Step 8
Place a heaping tablespoon of the strawberry filling, straining the excess liquid, into the center of each of the squares. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges with the egg wash. Grab one corner of the square and fold it onto the opposite corner to create a triangle shape.
Step 9
Press around the edges of the dough, sealing and pushing out any air pockets. Crimp the edges of the hand pies with a fork to create an extra seal, then place onto the prepared baking sheet.
Step 10
Brush the hand pies with the egg wash and then cut 3 tiny slits into the center of the top of each hand pie. If the dough has warmed considerably and is very soft, chill the formed pies in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to firm back up.
Step 11
Place the pies in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown, rotating the tray half way through if needed for even cooking. When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
