Yeast-Free Rye Hand Pies in the Oven

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you bake yeast-free rye hand pies? Start with the filling — gather the ingredients you'll need for it. You can use any ground meat. I'm using ground chicken breast, but store-bought works too.

2. Step 2:

   

   Peel the onion, rinse it, and cut it into small dice.

3. Step 3:

   

   Warm a little vegetable oil in a skillet. Sauté the onion, stirring now and then, until soft.

4. Step 4:

   

   Add the ground meat to the skillet. Cook it with the onion over medium heat, stirring and breaking up any clumps.

5. Step 5:

   

   Cook the meat for about 15 minutes. Halfway through, season it with salt, add the coriander (or any spices and seasonings you like), and stir.

6. Step 6:

   

   The filling is ready. Let it cool.

7. Step 7:

   

   While the filling cools, make the dough. Use plain room-temperature water.

8. Step 8:

   

   Combine the rye and all-purpose flours with the salt. Sift the flour mixture into a suitably sized bowl so the dough turns out smooth and tender. Flour behaves differently batch to batch, so you may need a little more or less — set aside about 2 tablespoons in case you need it while kneading.

9. Step 9:

   

   Make a well in the flour and add the water and vegetable oil. Stir with a spoon first, then knead by hand. If the dough is still a bit sticky, work in the reserved flour.

10. Step 10:

    

    Knead a fairly firm, soft, slightly oily dough. Wrap it in a clean bag and let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes. The gluten will relax, making the dough more pliable and easier to work with.

11. Step 11:

    

    Divide the dough into several equal pieces — how many depends on the size of pie you want. Roll each piece into a ball.

12. Step 12:

    

    Roll each ball out into a round about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) thick.

13. Step 13:

    

    Spoon the filling onto one half of the round.

14. Step 14:

    

    Fold the other half over the filling to form a pie, and press the edges together firmly to seal.

15. Step 15:

    

    You can crimp the edges into a rope pattern or leave a simple pinched seal.

16. Step 16:

    

    Shape the rest of the pies the same way and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

17. Step 17:

    

    In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with a spoonful of milk until smooth.

18. Step 18:

    

    Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the rye pies with the egg wash.

19. Step 19:

    

    Bake the pies in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for about 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Adjust the baking time to suit your own oven.

20. Step 20:

    

    These rye hand pies are good both warm and cold. Enjoy!