LENTIL AND SWEET POTATO CURRY HAND PIES

Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry Hand Pies image

I love Jamaican curry patties, a kind of hand pie made with a curried dough that is stuffed with meat or vegetables. This easy inspired version is made with store-bought phyllo; I've used lentils and sweet potatoes for the stuffing, but you really could use any cooked filling you like-it's even a great way to use up leftovers!

Provided by Carla Hall

Categories appetizer

Time 1h5m

Yield Makes up to 36 pies

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup cooked brown lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
One 16-ounce package phyllo dough (usually with sheets 13-by-18 inches), thawed
Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

For the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Place the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl and toss them with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt. Push the onions to the side and add the sweet potatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to soften and the onions caramelize, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, habanero, thyme, ginger, smoked paprika and allspice; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the lentils and toss until combined. If the mixture becomes dry, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to loosen any dry bits, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
For assembly: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the oil and curry powder in a small bowl.
Unroll the phyllo dough on the counter with the shorter end facing towards you. Cut the phyllo in half lengthwise with a sharp knife so the sheets are about 6 1/2-by-18 inches each. Stack the cut sheets on top of each other. Cover the stack with a moistened kitchen towel or paper towels to keep the phyllo from drying out.
Set a half sheet of phyllo on the counter with the shorter end facing towards you and brush the sheet lightly with the curry oil. Fold the sheet in half from left to right so that you have one long narrow strip. Brush it again with the curry oil, then place 1 tablespoon of the filling on the bottom right corner of the phyllo. Fold the right corner up toward the left side of the sheet to form a triangle, then keep folding up in a triangle shape along the length of the phyllo, brushing each fold lightly with the curry oil; place the completed pie on the prepared baking sheet and brush the top lightly with curry oil. Continue with the remaining filling, phyllo and curry oil.
Sprinkle all the pies lightly with kosher salt. Bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, for the cool yogurt dipping sauce: Whisk together the yogurt, lemon zest and juice and mint in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve the hot pies with the dipping sauce.