Name: Fennel, sausage, tomato and mozzarella hand pies
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: Makes 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 quantity flaky pie dough, link to recipe below; plain flour, for dusting; 1 egg, beaten; fennel seeds, for sprinkling; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 small onion, diced; 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; 1 tbsp fennel seeds; 4 pork sausages, skinned; 200ml passata; 150g grated mozzarella, (see cook's notes)

1 quantity flaky pie dough
link to recipe below
plain flour
for dusting
1 egg
beaten
fennel seeds
for sprinkling

FILLING

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
diced
1 clove garlic
finely chopped
1 tbsp fennel seeds
4 pork sausages
skinned
200ml passata
150g grated mozzarella
(see cook's notes)

Method

step 1
Make the pastry following the flaky pie dough recipe here.
step 2
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion with the garlic and fennel seeds for 5-10 minutes, until translucent. Crumble the sausages into the pan, break up with a wooden spoon and fry the meat until it starts to brown. Pour in the passata and simmer for 5-10 minutes until slightly reduced. Cool to room temperature.
step 3
On a lightly floured worksurface, roll the first disc of pastry into a large rectangle about 30cm x 50cm. Cut the dough in two, vertically, to make 2 long rectangles and cut each horizontally into 3 small rectangles. Put these pieces of dough onto the baking tray lined with baking paper. Divide the filling between the pieces of dough, leaving a border of 1cm around the edges and top with the mozzarella. Roll out the second disc, as before. Brush the edge of each hand pie with a little water and place a second piece of dough onto the filling, gently pressing the edges together with a fork to seal. Chill for 30 minutes until firm.
step 4
Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Remove the pies from the fridge, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with a few fennel seeds. Using a sharp paring knife, press a couple of holes into each pie. Put the pies into the oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before serving. These are wonderful still slightly warm, but I prefer them at room temperature.