“We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.”

― David Mamet, Boston Marriage

I love pie. I love making pies. I love the smell of pies. I love inventing pies, and like everyone else, I love eating pies (a little too much). Hand pies are a special kind of wonderful because they are quick and easy to make and you can eat them on the go.

I made these pies for my mother-in-law, who is convalescing at the moment. They are super easy to make and you can make almost endless customizations to suit your palate and those of your loved ones.

Rather than a recipe, this is a method. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Begin with your favorite pie crust. If you make your own from scratch (which I do), use your best recipe. If you prefer to buy store bought pie crust, I recommend that you find one that does not have hydrogenated fats in it, as they are so bad for your health, but you can use refrigerated or frozen pie crust (defrost it first). You will need enough pie crust for a two-crust pie.

Next, get your favorite jam. I used Strawberry Rhubarb Preserves that I made at the end of last summer, and it was delicious, but you can use any jam that you like. (I do not recommend using curds or custards as they will require refrigeration after baking.) You will need about 6 ounces of jam or preserves.

You will need two whole organic eggs, beaten, and a pastry brush for an egg wash. And you will need a bit of demerara sugar.

Roll your pie dough out into two roughly 9″ x 9″ squares. Cut each square into three 3″ x 9″ strips. Spread about 1-2 tablespoons of jam into the center of each strip of pie dough. Brush the edges with the egg wash to help seal the hand pies. Then fold the strips in half, sealing along the three edges to make three 3″ x 4 1/2″ hand pies.

Place your hand pies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the pies are golden on top and the bottom crusts are cooked and not gooey.

Let the pies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes and then transfer to cooking racks and cool completely.