#LetsLunch: Pies edition

June edition of LetsLunch already? This month we're tackling pies. Now, you're probably looking at my photo and saying, hmm, decidedly NOT a pie, yes?

I first made these hand pies at Easter (mostly as a means to use up random items in my fridge to make room for the Easter food, but also to have something to snack on while I was cooking, so I wasn't tempted to pick at the Easter food) and loved them. 

When pies were being bounced around as our June theme for LetsLunch, I knew I would probably make a savory pie option. Over the past few years, I have definitely gotten much more adventurous about food but there is one quirk I refuse to budge on: cooked fruit.

So yes, this means I rarely eat apple pie, peach pie, rhubarb pie and all those other crazy cooked fruit pies (I had a nice lemon pie I liked once.... ). And yes, I know there are plenty of non-fruit sweet pies, but they all scream WINTER to me, rather than SUMMER.

This month, I'm offering up Chinese sausage and roasted sweet potato hand pies. (also, a small disclaimer, I haven't actually made these yet today. My plan is to get a batch in tomorrow to serve at our housewarming party.

RECIPE: Chinese sausage and roasted sweet potato hand pies
Ingredients:
2 pie crusts (I used the ones that come rolled up in a sleeve, but I developed this dish trying to use them up, so certainly, homemade would work)
2 sweet potatoes, pricked with holes
1/2 medium onion, diced
2-4 logs Chinese sausag, sliced thinly and each round cut in half
small pat of softened butter (~ 1 tsp) or reserve some of the rendered fat when you cook the sausage
1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp brown sugar
1 beaten egg white mixed with 1 TBS milk or water
kosher salt or sea salt
fresh cracked pepper

* Bake the sweet potatoes at 375 for 1 hour or until they are soft. If you hear popping noises, run for the oven and retrieve your potatoes! Don't forget to prick your potatoes with holes so the steam can escape.
* While the potatoes are roasting, heat the sausage pieces and onions together over medium heat until the onion has softened and the fat from the sausage has rendered.
* Cool the potatoes slightly then slice in half and scoop out the flesh. Mix in the fat (butter or from the sausage), the cinnamon, the sugar and the onion and sausage. Spread on a plate or a baking sheet covered i wax paper to cool completely.
* Roll out the pie die and cut into squares or circles. They should be about 4 to 6 inches in diameter.
* Fill each pie with 1-2 TBS of the filling (don't over-fill!) and pinch the dough together tightly.
* Brush with the beaten egg wash and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
* Return to oven and bake on a lined cookie sheet for 10-20 minutes until the pie crust is golden brown.
* Cool entirely (if you can wait that long!) and serve warm-ish.

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Let's Lunch is a monthly meeting for food bloggers and is the brain child of Cheryl Tan. Our group chooses a date and a theme, then we all post our recipes on the same day.

If you'd like to join us, we'd love to have you! send a Tweet to us using #letslunch (I'm @emmacarew).

I'll update with more posts from the other LetsLunch-ers as I find them throughout the day!

Cathy's Nutella Hand Pies at Showfood Chef

Rebecca's Spanakopita and Rhubarb Crisp at GrongarBlog (Welcome, Rebecca!)

Charissa's Lime-Custard & Curd Pie at Zest Bakery

Linda's Dirt Pie with Compost Cookie Crust at Free Range Cookies

Cheryl's Japanese Curry Pot Pie at A Tiger In The Kitchen

Denise's Summer Chicken Pot Pie at Chez US

Rashda's Pecan Pie at Hot Curries & Cold Beer

Mai's (Mother-in-Law's) Lemon Meringue Pie at Cooking In The Fruit Bowl

Lisa's Pilaf Pie with Chicken, Sultanas and Sweet Spices at Monday Morning Cooking Club