Savory meat pies are a way to enjoy a pastry that isn’t dessert-related anywhere in the globe. Although every state has its own signature pie and pies are a mainstay of American pastry shops and cuisine, meat pies are a distinct sort of treat.
These meals usually include a filling of substantial seasoned meats, veggies, and fragrant spices, topped with flaky pastry. These pies are so flavorful that they may occasionally strike a balance between savory and sweet. They go well with any meal, any time of day and can be served as an appetizer, main dish or snack.
Some countries’ meat pastries won’t resemble classic pies like shepherd’s pie or chicken pot pie that you may be more used to. Almost every nation has a savory pie that represents its culture and cuisine, regardless of the form.
1. Empanadas: Spain & South America
Empanadas, which are more like turnovers, are basically little pockets of flaky pastry filled with cheese, sometimes potatoes and other vegetables, and meat (think beef, chorizo, hog, or chicken).
These meat pastries have acquired appeal in the United States and are very popular in Spain, Argentina and other Latin American nations.
Empanadas are filled, much like the majority of hand pies and cooked until golden brown, producing crispy dough and a filling of rich, savory ingredients. Because there were so many cattle at the time, the dough was originally baked with animal fat; ever since, the tastes have only become richer and more distinctive.
While yuca or plantain is used for starch in the Caribbean, maize flour is utilized for dough in Venezuela and Colombia. Empanadas may be served as a snack, appetizer, or entrée, just as their contents can be changed up to suit different occasions.
In Argentina, each region has its own unique empanada recipe. For instance, they are usually filled with ground or minced chicken, beef or sometimes ham and cheese in Buenos Aires. Served on the side is the Argentinean sauce known as salsa blanca, which resembles Béchamel.
On the other hand, an empanada from the northern province of Catamarca is probably filled with diced hard-boiled egg, potato, onions, paprika and goat meat.
2. Pastilla: Morocco
The pastilla, also known as the bastilla, is the traditional meat pie of Morocco. This meal, which is akin to filo pastry, blends sweet and savory elements such as chicken or cornish hen, almonds, cinnamon and sugar, all wrapped in layers of thin dough called warka (or warqa).
This pie is traditionally made with exceptionally soft, juicy fowl, and in the Moroccan province of Fez, the traditional bastilla is filled with pigeon, almonds, and spices like cinnamon and saffron.
Because the warka must be made by hand and the filling is layered between the thin dough, the technique is often rather thorough. Sometimes the filling is prepared a day in advance. The seasoned fowl makes up the first layer, followed by an egg mixture, crushed and roasted almonds, and a sugar and cinnamon lattice decoration for the top layer.
3. Chicken Pot Pie: US
Chicken pot pie is a great American staple that you have probably heard of. It’s so common in American cooking these days that frozen pot pies can be bought in supermarkets around the nation. Similar to a dessert pie, chicken pot pie is produced with a classic pie crust (you may make it from scratch or freeze it), which is then filled with a variety of ingredients and baked until it becomes golden.
Though there is variation in the recipes, the majority of contents include potatoes, carrots, onions, peas, and celery swathed in a rich broth with chicken. It’s one of those pies you can make with anything you happen to have in your cupboard.
The origins of the pot pie itself may be traced back to the Roman Empire, when they modified the Greek meal articles by filling the pastry shells with meat and, presumably, using live birds as well. Additionally, “chicken peepers,” or tiny chicks filled with gooseberries, were employed in Elizabethan England.
Since then, Americans have improved upon the original techniques and maybe even de-escalate them a little from the days of submerging live birds under the outer layer. But of days, chicken pot pie is a culinary classic and the pinnacle of American comfort food.
4. Sfiha : Lebanon
Sfiha, often spelled sfeeha, is a Middle Eastern cuisine that originated in the Levant area of Asia. It is frequently referred to as Arabic pizza.
Flatbread is used to make this meat pastries which is then covered with spices, onions, tomatoes, ground beef or lamb, and pine nuts. Sfihas are distinguished from other meat pies by the addition of flavorful spices including garlic, allspice, cumin, cinnamon and parsley. The fact that fatty meats are used in these pies to improve the taste profile is another reason why they are so good.
When Moors from the Arabian Peninsula migrated to Spain and Portugal in the early eighth century, they may have even taken with them the Arabic sfeeha, which is where the empanada had its start. Even while the Middle Eastern meal is similar to an empanada, its crust is really much more like pizza’s. Furthermore, since it is covered with toppings and baked, it isn’t packed to the gills like an empanada.
5. Tourtière: Canada
Tourtière, a flaky, double-crusted pie from Quebec, is a popular Christmas Eve food. Its contents is often ground beef, veal, or pig mixed with vegetables or potatoes and a strong spice blend. varied villages have varied recipes; some stick to pork, others use a variety of meats, and some employ wild wildlife from the area, such as moose or rabbit.
Additionally, the construction might differ: it can be a multi-layered pie or a shallow pie with meat and spices within. It is known that some of the first tourtière recipes date back to 1840 and were published in the cookbook “La Cuisinière Canadienne,” which established the dish as a French Canadian classic. Besides, the meat is the star of this meal.
Vegetables are often left out, allowing the majority of the pie to consist only of well-seasoned meat. Even though tourtière is often associated with holidays, locals still eat this pie on a daily basis. In Canada, supermarkets and grocery shops like Walmart sell frozen versions of the pie.
6. Shepherds pie: United Kingdom
Shepherd’s pie, sometimes known as cottage pie, is a common dish in the United Kingdom. but in reality, it comes from Ireland. Ground lamb or beef is often used as the filling for this meat pie, along with a variety of other ingredients such as cheese, herbs, spices, tomato puree, onions, peas and carrots.
Although the recipes vary, the basic structure usually consists of a filling of minced meat and vegetables with mashed potatoes on top. Whether it’s called shepherd’s pie or cottage pie depends on the kind of meat used; the former is usually cooked with beef, while the latter utilizes mutton or lamb.
These pork pies were originally meant to be a cheap dinner and a means to get rid of food waste. Potatoes were a cheap item in Ireland during the 1700s, so it made sense to include them in a pie with other staples. The name and ingredients are another area where the British and Irish dishes differ from one another.
Up until the middle of the 1800s, meals with either a lamb or a beef filling were referred to as cottage pie; the lamb filling was thereafter associated with the term shepherd’s pie. Whatever name or cut of meat you choose, this meal is still quite popular in the United Kingdom. cuisine and tastes great with whatever filling you decide on.
7. Bobotie: South Africa
A classic South African bobotie is similar to other meat pies, with the exception that, in addition to the filling of minced beef and spices, it is often served with dried raisins. In the instance of bobotie, the spices include curry powder and bay leaves and an egg and milk concoction is used to top the pie.
The term “bobotie” may have originated from the Malayan word “Boemboe,” which means “curry spices,” or from the Indonesian word “bobotok,” which refers to a meal consisting of beef topped with custard.
This colorful, unusual meal has been likened to meatloaf and casserole, but with its custard-like coating that serves as a lid and a substantial, spicy interior, it works better as a meat pie. The distinctive feature of bobotie is that it’s not just about the meat; this South African staple is also proudly spiced, served with basmati rice and a dash of sambal, an Indonesian chili pepper sauce, along with the zesty flavors of fruit chutney (remember those raisins?).
8. Xian bing: China
Xian bing, or Chinese meat pie, is a pocket of dough stuffed with common ingredients in Chinese cooking, such as beef or pork, onions, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Brown sugar and ginger are two examples of sweet spices that go well with the dish’s savory and spicy undertones.
Xian bing has also been likened to pot stickers or hand pies, however it’s more of a pan-fried dumpling with a crunchy exterior; the way they appear could even make you think of empanadas. Similar to other pies, xian bing is sold by both street vendors and restaurants and is regarded as a comfort meal. Some areas have completely vegetarian variations of the classic dish, while others include a different protein, such as lamb.
“Bing” means “bread” in Chinese cuisine and may apply to a variety of dishes, including pies, pancakes, cakes, dumplings, and flatbreads. However, xian bing, which is essentially a vague translation of “meat pie,” is not the same as Chinese bing, which is a flatbread without filling. This recipe may not appear like a meat pie, but we think it comes close enough thanks to the cooking method and comfort food quality!
