Easy steps to make Meat Pie, Puff Puff

By Chinyere Eke 

Welcome to my Food world, here is a step guide on how to make the best meat pie

MEAT PIE 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PASTRY
4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour

200g cold Butter, cubed

2 Eggs

1 teaspoon Salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup (60ml) cold water

FOR THE FILLING

3/4 pound (350g) Ground beef

1 Potato, peeled and diced into small cubes

1 Large Onion, chopped

1 Large Carrot, peeled and diced

1 cup (240ml) Water/beef broth

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Thyme

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons Oil

1 egg for brushing

DIRECTIONS
Make the pastry: in a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add cubed butter and rub it with the flour until you get a crumbly texture.

Beat 2 eggs with cold water and add it to the flour mixture, mix until dough is formed. Do not over mix! Wrap the dough with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Make the filling: in a large pan heat oil. Add onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until translucent. Add diced carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the meat and cook, breaking it apart, for 4-5 minutes, until no longer pink. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and flour. stir and cook for 2 minutes more.

Add in cubed potatoes stir well. Pour in the water/broth. Stir.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until thickens. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350F (175C).

Divide the dough into 2-4 pieces (you also can roll the whole dough, dividing it just making it easier to work). Roll out the dough into 1/8-inch (1/4 cm) thickness. Cut out a round shape with your desired sized. Combine all the leftover dough and roll it again to make more circles.

Place about 1-2 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the center, brush the edges with water and fold over the dough. Seal it with your fingers or with a fork. Poke the pies with a fork to create a steam outlet while baking brush the pies with beaten egg.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden. Cool slightly before serving.

PUFF PUFF

Here is also how you can comfortably make puff puff at home.

INGREDIENTS
Flour – 1.5 cups
Yeast – 2 teaspoon
Nutmeg (ground) – 0.5 teaspoon
Sugar – 0.25 cup or more (how you like it)
Salt – a pinch
Oil (vegetable or olive) – from 1 to 3 cups (sometimes less, sometimes more)
Water – 1 cup

DIRECTIONS
Take a deep bowl and put flour along with sugar, salt, nutmeg, and yeast inside. Stir everything into a smooth mixture.

Slowly pour in the water (make sure it is warm) and keep stirring.

Leave your dough for about an hour. You are advised to cover the bowl with foil and set aside in a warm place.

You will know the dough is ready when it doubles in size. Now you can fry the puff puff. So take a frying pan and add oil. There should be enough oil to fry your snacks. Turn on the fire on the stove and heat the oil.

Make small round balls from the dough and put them to ‘swim’ in the oil. Your snack is ready when each puff puff turns into pretty golden-brown color. Make sure you flip the balls around to fry each side.

Before eating this popular Nigerian snack, you should put puff puff balls on a paper towel to remove excess oil.