Savory Beef and Rutabaga Hand Pies

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Soldiers on the march to Concord would have appreciated these tidy hand pies, stuffed with savory beef seasoned with lemon, rosemary and roasted root vegetables. Ornate pies were a staple in aristocratic and gentry households such as that of James Barrett, and a pie’s worth was often assessed by the strength of its crust. This pie uses ground beef and rutabaga—an underappreciated root vegetable that deepens in sweetness once roasted—but feel free to use your root vegetable of choice and swap turkey, lamb or pork for the beef. If you have leftover pastry, feel free to decorate your pies in the fashion of the day!

Makes 6 hand pies

FOR THE FILLING:
1 small rutabaga (about 1 pound), peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup, plus more to taste
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons whole milk or half-and-half
1 pound 85–90% lean ground beef (or ground turkey, pork or lamb)
zest from 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup chopped fresh or frozen carrots
¼ cup fresh or frozen peas

FOR THE PASTRY:
1 roll premade organic pie dough (half of a 14-ounce package), or 1 (9-inch) pie crust from good homemade dough
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

PREPARE THE FILLING:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.

On a baking sheet, spread out the rutabaga, onion and garlic, and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the maple syrup; season with salt and pepper. Roast until the rutabaga is soft and easily mashed with a fork, 30–40 minutes. Let cook for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a food processor (or use an immersion blender). Add the milk and process until you have a smooth paste, about 3 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining teaspoon olive oil. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan, then fold in the mashed rutabaga, lemon zest, rosemary and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, until well-combined and the flavors have blended, 1–2 minutes. Season with additional salt, pepper and maple syrup to taste, then remove from heat and fold in the frozen carrots and peas. Let the filling cool for 10–15 minutes. (If making ahead, let it come to room temperature before assembling the hand pies.)

PREPARE THE PASTRY:
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough to about ¼ inch thick. Cut the dough into 6 (5-inch) circles, rerolling scraps as needed to get enough dough. Place the rolled-out dough circles on the lined baking sheet.

ASSEMBLE THE HAND PIES:
Spoon a generous tablespoon of the cooled filling into the center of each dough circle, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edges. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges together gently, then crimp them with a fork to seal the pies. Brush the hand pies with the beaten egg.

Bake the hand pies until they are golden brown and the crust is crisp, 20–25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

NOTE: There will be leftover pie filling, so use it to make breakfast patties: Stir a beaten egg into the leftover filling, then shape into 3-inch patties. To a medium skillet set over medium heat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil or butter, then cook the patties until browned and firm, about 3 minutes per side. Serve alongside fruit salad or spring greens.

This recipe appeared in the Spring 2025 issue as part of a larger story, “Breakfast Before the Battle.”