Nigerian Meat Pie

Instructions

Heat the vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat and soften the chopped onion, stirring. Add the minced meat and stir hard until it turns pale, then add the seasoning cube and thyme.

Pour in just enough water to cover the meat, cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Add the chopped carrot and potato and cook until they are tender.

Mix the tablespoon of flour with the ¼ cup of cold water and stir this paste into the cooked filling, which keeps it moist during baking. Season with salt to taste, turn off the heat and let the filling cool completely.

Sift the 1 kg of flour into a large bowl and mix in the baking powder and a little salt. Rub the margarine into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like crumbs.

Add the cold water a little at a time, using no more than ½ cup, and mix by hand into a stiff ball. Knead on a flat surface until smooth, then cover and rest the dough for about 10 minutes.

Beat the egg for glazing and grease a baking tray with margarine. Preheat the oven to 170°C (335°F), or 150°C (300°F) for a fan oven.

Knead the dough again and roll it to 5 mm thick. Cut circles with an 8-inch (20 cm) cutter, remove the excess dough, and put a spoonful of filling in the centre of each circle, not so much that it spills out.

Brush beaten egg around the inside edge of each circle, fold it in half over the filling, and press the edges shut with a fork so the top and bottom layers are joined.

Place the pies on the greased tray and brush the tops with egg. Bake until golden brown, then cool slightly before serving.