Summer Longing
“I don’t know whether you notice it, but it seems like every other word you say is California. Do you really want to go?”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
Living along the central coast of California is nothing less than divine. Except, except we really don’t have a summer. We have fog. By August there are rumblings of fall. I become anxious. Summer is like a fad sweeping the northern hemisphere and I’ve missed out on the latest trend. I long to complain about endless sunshine and a kitchen too hot for baking. Dinner on the patio without wearing a sweatshirt is just a fantasy. Actually leaving the house to go anywhere without a light jacket is just plain foolish. If by chance it is sunny, the fog can return at any time. Our summer vocabulary is studded with “when will the fog burn off” and “when will the fog roll back in”. I live in a place where a day above seventy-five is considered hot. We tend to melt at anything above eighty-five. It may be August, but I’m still longing for summer. Any day now our Indian Summer will arrive and wrap us in late season sunshine. We’re ready.
My obsession with summer’s sweet fresh corn and this pastry dough took me down the road to this recipe. Reminiscent of puff pastry or croissant dough this dough may be entirely to rich. There is a phenomenal amount of butter that melts and bubbles while these little gems bake. The crust of the hand pies shatter into buttery shards with each bite. These seductive little gems would make splendid appetizers or perfect picnic fare.
Essentials
In these hand pies kale, corn and feta are paired with a sprinkle of red onion and sealed in an envelope of rosemary scented crust. My daughter commented “I was surprised I liked them, they had kale.” A compliment? Not sure, but I’ll take it! My mom is never shy about offering advise regarding my cooking and who openly detests all (yes, all) vegetables said she enjoyed the kale and thought I should have added more. Chard could be substituted for the kale if you also have a strong opinion on the matter. I used goat feta with a firm texture. It’s vivid tang pairs well with sweet corn and robust kale all wrapped up in a warm buttery blanket. A hint of fresh rosemary in the pastry dough adds a bright contrast to the rich crust. Next time I’ll double the amount of rosemary as I am fond of serious flavor having a major role in my cooking. When making this pastry dough, omit the sugar and add 1-2 teaspoons of minced fresh rosemary when pulsing the dry ingredients and before adding the butter.
Salt the filling according to the saltness your feta cheese brings to the recipe. Feta is aged and stored in a salt brine; but the taste of the tangy cheese should be the dominate flavor. Each brand of feta I’ve tried is different. If your feta is so salty that’s all you taste, don’t purchase that brand again. Rinsing the cheese in water just before using will remove most of the exterior brine and be helpful in removing some of the excess salt.
| Ingredients | |
| 1T | olive oil |
| 1/2C | diced red onion |
| 4C | chopped kale (remove the thick center ribs) |
| 2C | fresh corn (from 3 ears) |
| 4oz | feta cheese, crumbled |
| 1/8t | ground pepper |
| 1 batch | pie dough, I used this |
- In a large skillet warm the olive oil to shimmering on medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped kale and cook until wilted and reduced in volume by half. While cooking, stir the kale so that all it wilts evenly and the onions don’t burn.
- In a medium size bowl add the cooked kale and onions, the fresh corn, crumbled feta and pepper, fold to combine. Taste the filling and add salt if needed. (Additional salt may or may not be needed depending on your feta’s salt content.)
- Heat oven to 375°. Prepare an egg wash by throughly mixing an egg and a tablespoon of water together.
- With a floured rolling pin on a lightly floured work surface roll out the pastry dough approximately 1/8” thick. Measure, cut and line the muffin tin cups with the dough. (One batch of dough and filling made 15 standard size muffin cups.) Gently push the dough down into the contours of the muffin tin cups without stretching the dough. Fill the muffin tin cups with the kale and corn filling.
- After your muffin tin cups have been lined and filled, roll out the second disk of dough a bit thicker than before. Cut circles of dough for the tops of the hand pies. Brush a bit of egg wash on the edge of each circle and place on the top of the filled muffin tin cups. Gently pressing the tops in place and crimp the edges shut. Chill the hand pies for 30 minutes before baking.
- After chilling, lightly brush the top surface of the hand pies with egg wash. Cut a small slit in the top of each hand pie. Bake the hand pies for 20-25 minutes at 375°. The hand pies are done when they are deep golden brown. Best served warm or at room temperature.
I pick happiness, Deb. I love the pies and the filling and the crust
Picking happiness is the best choice! Thank you Oz!
What a beautiful way to use corn! 😀
Thank you for the gracious comment Tiffany!
This too I shared before I could leave a note. When delivering the stuffed tomatoes, please add these in to the package! How I love your pies.
LOL! Thank you Orly! I appreciate your kind comment!
These look fantastic!! I really need to try kale sometime..also, I’ve never tried my hand at making hand pies.. Definitely on my to-do list 😉
Thank you for the delicious comment Cathleen! Kale is an acquired taste for most of us, especially when eaten raw. Gently steamed in the hand pies it becomes quite mellow.
And here I am thinking you had summer year round… I think you’re entitled to eat all of these wonderful handpies then Deb! It’s nearly impossible to find kale here, but chard or even spinach will work fine I think. They are so cute and I love anything with feta cheese. That ceramic (I’m guessing) mold couldn’t be more gorgeous!
Thank you for your kind wishes Paula! The ceramic muffin pan is from an Anthropologie sale of months ago.
I wrote goats cheese but I see it is actually feta (the image looked like goats cheese!). Either or – mmm
Yes, goat cheese would be wonderful with kale and corn!
I have been noting savoury hand pies aplenty on Pinterest etc, but I am especially taken with this marriage of downright healthy and super-buttery, shattering pastry. I must admit I probably wouldn’t do a buttery pastry (I would do an olive oil and spelt one – how prissy am I?!) but I LOVE the idea. And with goats cheese. Magic xx
Thank you for commenting Kellie! I look forward to enjoying your olive oil and spelt pastry!
I love savory pies. These look so perfectly baked with a savory surprise in the middle. The pastry is so well made and flaky – it shines through in your photos. 🙂
Thank you for the delicious comment Julia!
Shocked about the fog!! LOL not my image of it….but yum for the rest, your pictures are so appetising!!
Just when I begin to lose faith the sun arrives! Our summer is always late! This is why we are the “Salad Bowl of the World”, lettuce grows in the Salinas Valley nine months of the year. Thank you for commenting Catherine!
These look amazing! I’m waiting for Indian Summer too, though I must admit that I felt fall in the air the other day and was rather delighted. Fall is my favorite – the crisp air, I think, is what makes it my favorite.
I enjoy fall also. But by mid August I’m tried of the fog and long for sunshine! Thank you for commenting Calista!
Oh my, I am not sure which I find to be cuter- the pies or those adorable muffin tins!
Oh Wizzy! Thank you for the adorable comment!
Deb, these sound absolutely perfect for late summer, or honestly, i would make them all year round. 🙂 and so beautiful! I’ve never (i’m embarrassed to say this) made hand pies, but i really want to, and yours may be the first ones i attempt.
Thank you for the wonderful comment Shannon! Making hand pies is no more difficult than making a pie! The big difference is the crust to filling ratio. Hand pies = more crust whereas pies = more filling. Such a tasty decision!
I assumed it was always hot in California…. I learn something new every day! Those pies sound delicious and the pastry looks really good – I’ll give that a go soon if my chard grows a bit more. Love those little pie moulds! 😀
Thank you for the lovely comment Cathy! California is so large and varied in geography I imagine there is a bit of every kind of weather on any given day.
Summer flavors all wrapped up into a fall-like comfort food. I love it! I also love your baking dish. So cool!
Thank you for the delicious comment Valentina!
Kale and corn in a flaky pie? This is a recipe for success and deliciousness!!!
Denise I certainly agree! Thank you for the lovely comment!
I love hand pies, what a good idea to fill them with a savory stuffing! These would make a tempting appetizer!
Thank you for the delicious comment Laura!
These are stunning. I love how you inserted the kale and corn, lightening these pies up summer-style.
Thank you for the wonderful comment Lynda, much appreciated!
Oh my gosh, Deb, I really, really LOVE this recipe. I’m pinning it right now to make asap. I love hand pies, and have made some simple ones that were savory, but yours look like little hand potpies. I can’t wait to make these.
Mini pot pies! I love it! Thank you so very much for the lovely comment Susan!
These hand pies look so fresh and definitely remind me of summer. YUM!
Thank for the tasty comment Pamela!
LOVE this idea! There are few things in this world more delicious than pie, and a savory one at that. I could eat a whole batch of these in one sitting, for sure. 🙂
Thank you for the delicious comment Stephanie! I won’t divulge how many of these hand pies Mr.R ate, LOL!
My mouth is watering, truly. Gorgeous recipe and here’s hoping your Indian summer arrives soon, Deb!
Carol thank you for your lovely comment! Your thoughts are meaningful to me!
I love these beautiful little hand pies you have baked in a muffin tin. I am rather partial to things baked in muffin tins. Fortunately, I am a fan of kale and I can’t imagine anything it goes better with than goat milk feta. The golden corn adds a beautiful summer sweetness. It’s hotter than the hinges of hell over here in Dubai but I won’t complain. The summer will be over soon enough. Hope you get a few fog free days to take these down to the beach, Deb!
I can’t even imagine “hotter than the hinges of hell”! I’ll send a bit of this mornings’ fog your way! Thank you for comment Stacy, much appreciated!
What a glorious post Deb. Love the idea of these and I hope this fall brings enough time in my kitchen to give them a try. And for your sake, I hope this fall/late summer brings buckets full of sunshine to the Central Coast!
Oh Beth! Thank you for your sunny wishes!
I have some very good childhood memories of picnicking with my family on our foggy Nor Cal coastline. We would drive out to the coast, lay out our spread on a blanket, watch the tides and share lunch. These savory pies would have been absolutely adored!
There is just something about eating outside in the fog…which by the way was so thick here last night, the street and house are still wet but by 10:30… Should be warm…I know you’re familiar with the drill 😉
LOL, yes I am very familiar with coastal fog! As a matter of fact it is foggy right now! Thank you for the tasty comment Patty!