Dough

1. In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients of the dough. and mix well.
2. Add cold butter and mix thoroughly until you achieve a mixture that looks like bread crumbs.
3. Once the mix looks like bread crumbs, make a well in the middle of the mix and add egg. Using your hands incorporate the egg into the mix.
4. Add the cold water until it’s all held together for a smooth and elastic finish – this should take you between 10-15 minutes.
   Place in a bowl, cover in cling film and place in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Filling

1. In a sauce pan, pour in the vegetable oil and heat up on medium. Saute onions for around 3 minutes and then add mince meat. Cook till brown, so around 3-4 minutes.
2. Season the meat with thyme leaves, curry powder and salt then mix well into the meat.
3. Add potatoes into the the meat mix. cook for about 4 minutes. Then add the water, cover and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Once water is reduced evenly add unto the mixture the flour to thicken the filling. Mix well into the meat and cook out the flour for at least 5 minutes. Take off from heat and let it cool down.

Assemble

1. Place the dough on a lightly floured table. Roll out the dough using your rolling pin, make sure that it is not too flat nor too thick. The use a circular shaped cutter ( or a bowl), cut the dough into medium size circles.
2. Using a tablespoon, fill the cut-outs with the meat filling in the centre of the circles; Brush the ends with a beaten egg and close the pie, securing the edge using a fork. Repeat this process for all the pies.
3. Transfer the meat pies on your baking tray which is greased with butter, or covered in parchment. Using a brush glaze the meat pies with the egg wash to make the pies shiny when cooked. Place the meat pies in the preheated at 170°C and bake it for 35-40 minutes or until the surface of each meat pie is lightly browned. Serve hot and enjoy!

1. Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, ginger & allspice) together. I usually add my yeast in at the same time as well. If your yeast is in the tiny pebble form, you can dissolve in water for a few minutes before adding to allow the yeast start working quicker.
2. Add the water (use lukewarm water) in small quantities, and combine thoroughly with your hand. The mix will not be as thick as pastry dough, but should be thicker than
3. Cover the mix with clear wrap and leave in a warm place to allow the mix to rise. I have had a lot of trouble with my mix rising during the winter months, so here’s what I do. I heat my oven to the lowest temperature, which is 170F/77C, I then let it cool down slightly (ideal temperature for yeast is between 105-110F/41-43C) and I place my mix into the oven. After about an hour it should be almost double in size, and the mix should be spongy.
4. See frying tips at NaijaChef