Hot Water Crust Pies
Serves 4
30 mins prep
60 mins cook
90 mins total
Individual serving hot water crust pies filled with sausage, gruyere cheese, and roasted butternut squash in a free standing flaky crust.
Hot Water Crust
Savory Pie Filling
medium sized butternut squashesroasted, skin removed, chopped into small pieces
olive oilto drizzle
fine sea saltto season
ground black pepperto season
tbspfresh thyme leaveschopped
largegarlic clovesminced
tspteaspoon crushed red pepper
tbspfresh sage or basilfinely chopped
cup(200 grams) gruyere cheesegrated, more if needed
Egg Wash
large egglightly beaten with a fork
Topping
sesame seedsfor sprinkling
large ripened tomatothinly sliced
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Cook the Savory Pie Fillings
Roast the butternut squash first. Start by slicing squashes in half lengthwise. Scrape out seeds, cut the into half moons, chop away skin and cut into 1/4-1/2 inch chunks.
medium sized butternut squashes
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the butternut squash lightly in olive oil and place on baking sheet. Season well with salt and pepper, toss with the thyme.
olive oil
fine sea salt
ground black pepper
tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Bake at 400℉ (200℃) for about 20 minutes until flesh is tender. Remove from oven and let cool.
Place the sausage in a mixing bowl, add the garlic, pepper flakes, chilli powder, salt, pepper, and sage. Work together with your hands.
lb (453 grams) pork sausage
large garlic cloves
tsp teaspoon crushed red pepper
tsp chilli powder
tsp fine sea salt
tsp ground black pepper
tbsp fresh sage or basil
Place seasoned sausage in a medium skillet on medium heat, cook until lightly browned. Drain grease and set aside.
Hot Water Crust Pastry
Place a ramekin top side down on a piece of parchment paper, draw a circle around with a pen around the ramekin. Cut out the circle and save for later to measure the pastry lid.
Whisk together the flours and salt in a medium bowl.
cup (192 grams) all purpose flour
cup (128 grams) bread flour
tsp kosher salt
In a medium saucepan, bring butter and water to high heat and boil.
tbsp (150 grams) unsalted butter
cup (160 ml) water
Remove pan from heat, add flours mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a dough forms. You may need to press the dough against the sides to pack it together.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead with hands until smooth and elastic (3-4 times). Dough will be HOT, so use plastic gloves or knead then release and continue.
Weigh your dough ball and divide it into four equal pieces.
Place a piece of parchment paper down onto the work surface.
Take one dough ball and flatten into a oval with hands, then lay an additional piece of parchment paper on top.
Roll the dough between the two pieces of parchment paper into a circle, with a rolling pin until it reaches 3mm in thickness or 1/8 inch.
Remove the circle of dough from paper and gently lower it into a ramekin.
Gently use your fingertips to press the warm dough into the bottom and then against the sides. Trim off any overhang with a knife or kitchen scissors.
Smooth the edges, forming a small lip around the top of the ramekin. Make sure there are no holes in the pastry. If so, it's easy to take a scrap piece and patch by pressing together with fingers.
Take trimmings and form them back into a ball. Set aside for making pastry lids.
Repeat this process with the remaining three ramekins.
Fill Pastry
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200 ℃). Set aside a large rimmed baking sheet.
Layer the pastry molds, gently pressing each layer to pack and fill in any gaps.
Start with a layer of gruyere, then chunks of butternut squash, gruyere, sausage, gruyere, and another layer of butternut squash.
medium sized butternut squashes
cup (200 grams) gruyere cheese
tbsp fresh sage or basil
Make sure the top layer of butternut squash is taller than the rim of the ramekin to forming a nice dome. The fillings will shrink as they cook, so we want to pack the pastry full. Finish with a sprinkle of more gruyere cheese.
Brush a thick coating of egg wash on the lip of pastry that is exposed around the rim of the ramekin.
large egg
Roll out one of the reserved balls of dough trimmings between the parchment paper into the size of the paper circle cut out for making pastry lids.
Place this pastry circle on top of your filling to create a lid, allowing the egg wash to help seal it to the bottom pastry. Gently press with your fingertips to glue the top and bottom dough together.
Cut two slits in the top of the pastry lid with a small sharp knife. Brush the tops with a light coating of egg wash, and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds. Option to top with a thin slice of tomato.
sesame seeds
large ripened tomato
Repeat with remaining pies.
Bake Savory Pies
Place ramekins on the baking sheet, then transfer to the middle or next to lowest oven rack. The pan and the lower rack of the oven will help heat the ramekins and ensure the bottom crust is well baked.
Bake pies a 400℉( 200℃) for 10 minutes.
Lower oven temperature to 375℉ (190℉) and continue to bake for an additional 40-50 minutes.
Bake pies until crust is golden brown and firm. You will see steam coming from the slit in the pies.
**If you tap on the lid and it feels soft, not crispy or firm, continue bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Place ramekins on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before removing the pies from their dishes.
Take a sharp knife and go around edge of the pastry where it connects to the ramekin. Invert the ramekin slightly to the loosen pie, then gently slide out the pie.
Serve pies warm!