This meat pie recipe originates from Nigeria, the home of many languages, cultures, foods, and peoples. Despite the diversities, meat pie means the same thing to every Nigerian. You will love this recipe for its versatility and, indeed, the taste.
What is Nigerian Meat Pie?
Perhaps the most popular snack, Nigerian meat pies are single-serving delicious pastries filled with ground beef and vegetables. The authentic pastry used for this pie is buttery, flaky, and savory. The richness of the pie crust complements the moist and flavorful filling that can be spiced to your tolerable level. Meat pies can be purchased at any fast-food restaurant in Nigeria or from street food vendors; you can also make them at home because they are easy to make, and you are assured of what you put into them.
These pies, unlike those of other countries, are versatile. You can add hot chilly peppers if you desire – yes, you can! You can even switch up the veggies and spice to whichever ones you prefer. Contrary to popular belief that Nigerian meat pies are always crescent-shaped, they can be any shape! – round, rectangle, square, oval, the possibilities are limitless.
Tips to Follow for the Best Outcome
The freshest and most delicious meat pies are the ones you make from good and fresh ingredients. Of course, this is a given, but do pay attention to every ingredient you use in this recipe. If you have ever tasted a bad pie and the seller tells you they just made it, you understand what I mean here.
The first and most important thing about achieving the best meat pie is measuring your ingredients correctly. This is particularly so for making a great crust that is edible – buttery, savory, and flaky. Flaky crusts are tricky to make – one of the biggest mistakes is that you may be tempted to knead the dough rather than gently combining the flour and butter. You also want to pay attention to the texture and temperature of the ingredients, particularly those of the filling and the dough. Before putting the pies together, the filling should be cooled to room temperature, and the dough should be cold. If your filling is hot or warm, it may make your dough soggy and tear. If you leave your dough at room temperature, it will become too soft and difficult to work with. The vegetables you use should be soft but not overcooked since they will continue to cook during the baking process. Not overcooking your vegetables will guarantee tasty and colorful pies.
About the Crust
Flour – Use the best all-purpose flour you can afford. I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour because it provides more structure to my baked goods. However, you can use whichever flour you have on hand since they will likely produce similar results (I won’t recommend using self-rising flour, though). Be sure that your flour is still in good condition and does not give out a stale, musky smell. Also, check that your flour is not infested with molds or weevils. It is advisable to sift your flour before use.
Butter – This is what gives the crust its flakiness and flavor. Use unsalted butter so that you can control the saltiness of your crust. For the best outcome, be sure to refrigerate your butter. Cube your butter before working it into the flour.
Iced Water – Your water should be very cold – you can drop a couple of ice cubes in the water to help keep it very cold while working with it. Add water a little at a time to get just enough water into your dough. Err on the side of more water than too little to avoid a dry crust.
Salt – This is when your regular table salt is preferred over sea or coarse salt because the smaller crystals will easily mix into the flour.
Sugar – This pie crust is savory. The sugar in the recipe is negligible and only serves to balance the salt in the recipe.
About the Filling
Ground Beef – Use fresh ground beef. You can use either store-bought ground beef or mince it yourself; it works either way, as long as it is fresh.
Vegetables – You want all the vegetables to retain their vibrant colors and shapes after cooking (not mushy).
Spices – Choose spices that complement each other. You can use as many or as few spices as you want. Be careful not to overdo this.
Corn flour (or corn starch) – This is to help thicken the filling so that it is not runny.
Salt – Add salt to taste.
Ingredients List
Crust
500 grams – All-purpose flour
250 grams – Cold unsalted butter (cubed)
1 tsp – Salt
2 tsp – Sugar
10 Tbsp – Iced water
1 egg for egg wash
Ingredients for the Filling
550 grams – Ground beef
240 grams – Irish potatoes (diced)
120 grams – Carrot (diced)
¼ of medium – Green pepper (diced)
¼ of medium – Red bell pepper (diced)
¼ of medium – Yellow bell pepper
½ small – Onion (finely chopped)
1 habanero pepper (optional)
2 clove – Garlic (finely chopped)
½ tsp – Thyme
½ tsp – Garlic powder
1 – Stock cube
1 tsp – cornflour
1 cup – Water
Salt to taste
Make the Crust
Sift your flour into a large bowl, then add the salt and sugar. Mix well using your spatula. Next, add your cold butter; you can use your fingers to break the cold butter into the flour or use a pastry cutter. Add cold water a little at a time and gently press the flour and butter together until it forms a ball – be careful not to over-work the dough so that it does not become too hard and chewy. When done, wrap the dough ball in a cling film and place it in the refrigerator for about 30 – 60 minutes. After 30 – 60 minutes, you want to roll out the dough to about 20 x 7 inches long, then fold the rolled dough into three (like a letter) and then roll again. Repeat this process three times and then wrap your dough and leave it in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the Filling
In a large pan, add the ground beef and stir to break up the meat. Then stir occasionally until it loses the pinkness and the liquid dries up. Add the potatoes, salt, spices, onions, habanero pepper, garlic, and a quarter cup of water – stir, cover, and let it cook on medium heat until the potatoes can be easily crushed between two fingers. You can add an additional half cup of water if the potatoes are not fully cooked. Then add another half cup of water, the carrots, stir, and cover to cook (about 3 minutes). Make the slurry by mixing the cornflour into a quarter cup of water, adding it to the pan’s content, and stirring. Once it thickens up, add the diced peppers, stir and remove from the stove. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.
Let’s Assemble the Pie
Dust your work surface with flour, then bring out your dough from the fridge and roll to 24 x 12 inches in length and width. Divide into eight squares about 5.5×5.5 inches. Using your pastry brush, brush your egg wash (1 egg plus1tsp of water whisked together) on the perimeter of each square. Then spoon about two tablespoons onto one-half of the squares, then cover with the other half. Using the tine of a fork, press on the open sides to close each square. Then use a sharp knife to clean up the sides. Place the pies on a parchment paper-lined baking tray, then brush the top of each pie with the egg wash. Finally, poke the pies with your fork about three times to create vents. Bake in your pre-heated oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until browned. When done, cool the pies on a rack for about ten minutes before serving. – enjoy!!
These pies are easy to make and a must-try. Let me know if you try this recipe.