These pies remind me of the pan-fried buns I enjoyed in Taipei but in pie version. It has a very crispy exterior but really chewy dough inside. I really think freshly made dough makes a BIG DIFFERENCE. Freshly made wrappers from homemade dough turn out so much chewier, they also don't easily break apart when you fill them with your choice of veggies and noodles.
These pies turned out so good. They're so fun to snack on too!
They do take a lot of time to make because of the homemade dough but it's really so worth it when you end up with 12 pies that you can enjoy for the coming days.
Check out a step-by-step how these pies are made from the wrappers all the way to cooking them! Find the full recipe below!
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Chinese Chive Pies
Makes 12 pies
Ingredients
For the Dough
¾ cup + 1 tbsp warm water*
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more or dusting
1 tsp canola oil or other neutral oil
½ tsp salt
*In a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, microwave the water on high for 30 seconds. Make sure to use warm water and not boiling water because the dough can lose its elasticity.
For the Filling
100g dry vermicelli noodles, makes 2 cups rehydrated noodles
2 cups (100g) chopped chives
1 medium shredded carrot (makes 1 cup)
1 cup (150g) sliced shiitake mushrooms*
1 tbsp canola oil or other neutral oil
1 ½ tsp salt, or more to taste
1-2 tbsp soy sauce, or more to taste
1 tbsp sesame seeds
½ tbsp sesame oil
Note
*If using dried shiitake mushrooms, you will need around 7-8 large pieces
For Cooking
12 tbsp water, divided into 4 batches of 3 tbsp each*
4 tbsp oil, divided into 4 batches of 1 tbsp each*
Notes
*For every 3 pies that fit in your pan, you will need 2 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of oil. If 6 pies fit in your pan then you need to double the water and oil.
STEPS
For the Dough
Add in 2 cups of flour into a mixing bowl. Create a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the warm water.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix the flour and water. Once the dough starts to come together, add in 1 tsp of oil. Use your hands to mix the bits of dough. Knead together for several minutes. If the dough is a bit dry, add a splash of water.
Shape the dough into a ball, then place it in a bowl. Cover it with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
For the Filling
Chop the noodles into small ½ inch pieces. Drain excess water and set aside.
Heat a pan. Add in 1 tbsp canola or other neutral oil. When the oil is hot, add in the chives, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes until the carrots are tender. Add in noodles. Pour in the soy sauce, salt, sesame seeds and oil. Mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula and cook for another 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Transfer to a strainer to drain excess liquid from the vegetables then set aside to cool while you prepare the wrappers.
Preparing the Wrappers and Pies
Add some flour on your work surface. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it a few times.
Slice the dough into 12 pieces. Each piece will be around 35g. Roll or shape each piece of dough into a ball. To make a wrapper, press down on the ball of dough and lightly flatten it over the surface. Sprinkle a little flour on top and lightly coat your rolling pin with some flour as well. While holding both ends of the rolling pin, roll out the dough by moving the pin forward and backward. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat the movement. Continue to roll out the dough until you have a wrapper that’s around 4 ½ inches in diameter. If you can’t make them into a perfectly round shape, that’s okay! Mine weren’t perfect but I was still able to properly fold the pies together. It really takes some time and practice to get a hang of making wrappers.
Place the rolled out wrappers on a tray and cover with a dry towel to prevent them from drying out. Roll out the rest of the dough.
Take a rolled out piece of wrapper and place around ¼-⅓ cup of filling into the center. Fold the dough in half and seal by pressing together. You will end up with a pie shape but you can also use your fingers to pinch small pleats on the sides if you’d like. You can refer to the images for reference. Afterwards, place back the pie on the tray and cover with a dry towel to prevent it from drying out.
Repeat for the rest of the wrappers.
Cooking the Pies
Heat a pan (similar one with a lid here), add in 1 tbsp of oil (for every 3 pies). When hot, add in the pies and lightly press down. Leave to cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until it has a golden brown crust. Flip over and leave to cook for another 4-5 until golden brown.
Prepare the lid of your pan. Using the lid as protection, carefully pour 3 tbsp of water into the pan and then immediately cover to prevent it from splashing due to the heat.
Leave to cook in the steam, until the water has evaporated, around 5-6 minutes. Take out the pies and repeat this step for the remaining ones.
Enjoy while hot!
Storage and reheating tip: Place the pies in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. To reheat, you can pan fry them again with a splash of water or oven-toast in low heat.
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