Tomato chutney and brie fried hand pies

 A friend hosting a post-vaccination tea party assigned me to make these, sausage rolls, and beans on toast. They were all good, though I don't think I'll make the bean recipe again. 

When I first ate one of these, I was a bit disappointed, and surprised that in all the process of making them I hadn't considered that they would taste like pizza hot pockets. But it is a sweet tomato sauce and melted cheese with bread, so OF COURSE it tastes like that. When I had my second, knowing what to expect, I enjoyed it much more and on its own terms. 

The recipe comes from the Hairy Bikers and the chutney is from James Martin.

For the chutney

1 T olive oil

1/2 shallot, chopped

1.5 tomatoes, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 t brown sugar

For the pastry

375g/13 oz self-raising flour

1/4 t salt

75g/2.5oz cold butter, in cubes

8 fl oz whole milk

To assemble

6 oz wheel brie (I could only find 8 oz, so I just snacked on what didn't fit)

oil for frying

Make the chutney: heat oil. Fry off shallots, tomato, and garlic 5-8+ min, till softened. Add vinegar & sugar and cook out for a further 3-5+ min or until the chutney has caramelized somewhat. (I might have cooked each step longer.)

Make the pastry: Add salt to flour in large bowl. Rub in butter with fingers to the texture of course breadcrumbs. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly until mix comes together and forms a soft, spongy dough. Knead lightly and form into a ball. 

Roll half of the dough on a lightly floured surface to ~3mm. Cut three 5.5in diameter circles. (Dough can be re-rolled if you want). Repeat with other half to make six circles total.

Assemble the pies: Remove rind from cheese and cut cheese into 1 cm chunks. Spoon a heaped T chutney into the middle of each round and spread it out, leaving a 1cm border all around the edge. Place ~1 oz of cheese on one side of each circle. Brush the edges of the dough with a little water. Fold over to encase the feeling, push out air, and press the edges together. Seal well with a fork.

Heat 1 cm oil in a large skillet to ~300 F. Fry two pies at a time for about 2 min on each side, or until lightly browned and somewhat puffed. The cheese should ooze when the pie is cut open. Drain on paper towels. Cover with foil to keep warm. They can be re-heated in a hot oven for 10 min.