Who doesn’t love a pie, with its crisp, flaky pastry, and fillings bursting with flavour? This week, we bring you a recipe for the perfect autumnal mini pies with pickles – best enjoyed with loved ones.
Little herb pies with pickles
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 brown onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 (125g) sour cream
- 110g goat’s cheese, crumbled
- 1 handful mixed herbs
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp single cream
- Sesame seeds, for sprinkling
- Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling
- Pickle or tomato relish, to serve
Sour cream pastry
- 2/3 cup (160g sour cream)
- 1 cup (250g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 2 cups (300g) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 10 minutes or until completely softened and caramelised. Transfer the onion to a bowl to cool.
Meanwhile, make the pastry. Put the sour cream, butter, flour and salt in a food processor and blitz for a few seconds until just combined. Turn the pastry out onto a work surface and gently bring it together into a disc. Wrap the pastry and pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes.
Add the sour cream, goat’s cheese, herbs and 1 egg to the onion and gently mix to combine.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until 3mm thick. Using a biscuit cutter or glass, cut the pastry into 7cm rounds. Place about a tablespoon of the herb mixture in the middle of a pastry round and bring the sides together, pressing to seal. Use the tines of a fork to gently press down around the edges. Place the pie on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling. Place the pies in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Whisk the remaining egg with the cream, then brush it over the pies and sprinkle them with the sesame seeds and sea salt flakes. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pies are golden and the pastry has puffed up.
Serve the warm pies with a tangy pickle or tomato relish.
My favourite mix of herbs for these pies is parsley, mint, sorrel and tarragon. Try to avoid woody herbs like thyme and rosemary as they might overpower the mixture.
Click here Sophie Hansen’s fish pie recipe – another autumnal classic.
Image and text from In Good Company by Sophie Hansen, photography by Sophie Hansen, Murdoch Books, RRP $39.99.
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