I love this time of year, and I especially love the stories that come along with the darkening days and cooler nights. One of the stories I love the most is the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, both the original story as well as the Tim Burton film that came out in 1999. One of the things the film got correct was the Van Tassel feast Irving describes early on in the book. I wrote a blog post about it here, and it includes the passage about the feast (in the public domain) and a recipe for Dutch Apple Pie. I’ve reposted the open source passage below:
“Fain would I pause to dwell upon the world of charms that burst upon the enraptured gaze of my hero, as he entered the state parlor of Van Tassel’s mansion. Not those of the bevy of buxom lasses, with their luxurious display of red and white; but the ample charms of a genuine Dutch country tea-table, in the sumptuous time of autumn. Such heaped up platters of cakes of various and almost indescribable kinds, known only to experienced Dutch housewives! There was the doughty doughnut, the tender oly koek, and the crisp and crumbling cruller; sweet cakes and short cakes, ginger cakes and honey cakes, and the whole family of cakes. And then there were apple pies, and peach pies, and pumpkin pies; besides slices of ham and smoked beef; and moreover delectable dishes of preserved plums, and peaches, and pears, and quinces; not to mention broiled shad and roasted chickens; together with bowls of milk and cream, all mingled higgledy-piggledy, pretty much as I have enumerated them, with the motherly teapot sending up its clouds of vapor from the midst—Heaven bless the mark! I want breath and time to discuss this banquet as it deserves, and am too eager to get on with my story. Happily, Ichabod Crane was not in so great a hurry as his historian, but did ample justice to every dainty.”
Since our local Haunted Halloween Trail (this event is the basis for my novella One October Night and is available in a breast cancer anthology here) is the Saturday before Halloween (Oct 28), I’ve decided to throw a dinner party before the trail and I’m going to serve dishes inspired by the feast passage in Sleepy Hollow. And today’s recipe is for Ham & Cheese Hand Pies. Basically, they’re ham and cheese turnovers with frozen puff pastry dough instead of homemade. They are pretty easy to make and I hope you enjoy them!
Ham & Cheese Hand Pies
These hand pies are easy to make, and you can easily change the filling and add whatever meats, veg, cheeses, or fruits you prefer. This recipe makes 8 pies, but I've found that people will eat at least 2 each. So this recipe really serves four, unless you're serving these as an appetizer or as part of a larger buffet dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough thawed
- 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
- 2 1/2 ounces gruyere cheese thinly sliced
- 4 ounces ham thinly sliced and cut into 1/2 inch lengths
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
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On a lightly floured counter, roll out the puff pastry dough into a 12" square.
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Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 equal parts, 3" x 6" each.
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Spread 1/4 teaspoon of the mustard onto half of each of the dough rectangles. Leave a 1/4" dry edge around each rectangle.
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On the half of each rectangle, layer 1/8 of the cheese slices and ham strips.
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With a pastry brush, brush all the edges with water. Fold the dough in half, covering the ham/cheese. Pinch the edges together with a fork. Gently move each hand pie to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut a few slices in top of each hand pie.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are browned and the edges are crispy and the cheese bubbles out just a bit. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Or cool on a rack and store in an airtight container in the refrigerate They can be served cold or hot. They will last 2 days in the refrigerator.
