Skull Meat Pies Recipe

Introduction

Skull Meat Pies are a fun and flavorful twist on traditional meat pies, shaped into spooky skulls perfect for any occasion. Filled with a spiced ground beef mixture and baked to golden perfection, these pies offer a delightful combination of soft dough and savory filling.

Ingredients

• 3 cups Bread Flour
• 1.5 tsp Active Dry Yeast
• 1 tbsp White Granulated Sugar
• 1 cup Milk (Whole or Low fat)
• 0.33 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 Medium Onion
• 0.25 cup Pine Nuts
• 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 tsp Seven Spices
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Egg (for Egg Wash)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Mix half a cup of warm milk with the sugar and yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes until the yeast has foamed and doubled in size.
2. Step 2: Add salt and half of the flour to the yeast mixture. Start the mixer on low speed and slowly add the vegetable oil, the rest of the milk, and the remaining flour. Increase the speed and knead until the dough comes together.
3. Step 3: Remove the dough from the mixer and shape it into a ball using some extra flour. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
4. Step 4: Once risen, divide the dough into 6 small balls using extra flour to prevent sticking. Cover with a towel and let rise again for 30 minutes.
5. Step 5: While the dough rises, prepare the meat filling. Sauté the ground beef over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the liquid evaporates.
6. Step 6: Finely chop the onion and add it along with the vegetable oil to the beef. Cook for 5 more minutes until the onion is translucent.
7. Step 7: Stir in the seven spices, salt, black pepper, and pine nuts. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
8. Step 8: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Use a pastry brush and vegetable oil to grease the inside of the skull molds to prevent sticking.
9. Step 9: Roll each dough ball out thinly to about 1/8 inch thickness. Lay the dough over each skull molding, gently pressing it into the shape evenly on all sides.
10. Step 10: Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the meat filling into the center of each dough mold. Fold the dough over to close, pinching the seams tightly together and trimming any excess dough.
11. Step 11: Repeat the filling and shaping process until all 6 skulls are filled. Use excess dough to form 2 additional balls for making 2 more skulls with the remaining filling.
12. Step 12: Beat the egg and brush it over the tops of the pies for a golden finish.
13. Step 13: Bake in the preheated oven for about 22 minutes until golden brown.
14. Step 14: Let the pies cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing them from the molds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips & Variations

• Use warm milk for activating yeast effectively to ensure the dough rises well.
• Substitute pine nuts with chopped walnuts or omit for a nut-free version.
• Seven spices can be replaced with a mix of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves for a similar aromatic profile.
• For a crispier crust, brush the pies with butter instead of egg wash before baking.

Storage

Store cooled skull meat pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm them in an oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes to restore crispness. These pies can also be frozen before baking; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use a different type of meat?

Yes, ground turkey, chicken, or lamb can be used as alternatives. Adjust cooking times and spices to suit the chosen meat.

Do I need special skull molds to make this recipe?

While skull molds create the signature shape, you can shape the dough into regular rounds or hand-make skull designs if molds aren’t available.

Skull Meat Pies Recipe

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4.8 from 94 reviews

Skull Meat Pies are a fun and flavorful twist on traditional meat pies, shaped uniquely in skull molds for an eye-catching presentation. These pies feature a soft, yeasted bread dough filled with a spiced ground beef mixture enhanced with onions and pine nuts, baked to a golden perfection. Perfect as a savory snack or a festive treat for gatherings.

• Author: Elena
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 22 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
• Yield: 8 Skull Meat Pies 1x
• Category: Snack
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dough

• 3 cups Bread Flour
• 1.5 tsp Active Dry Yeast
• 1 tbsp White Granulated Sugar
• 1 cup Milk (Whole or Low fat)
• 0.33 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Salt

Meat Filling

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
• 0.25 cup Pine Nuts
• 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 tsp Seven Spices
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Black Pepper

For Egg Wash

• 1 Egg

Instructions

1. Prepare Yeast Mixture: Mix half a cup of warm milk with sugar and yeast. Wait 10 minutes until the yeast foams and doubles in size, indicating it’s active and ready.
2. Make Dough: Once the yeast has risen, add salt and half of the flour to the mixture. Turn the mixer on low speed, slowly adding vegetable oil, the remaining milk, and flour. Increase the mixing speed and knead until the dough comes together into a smooth ball.
3. First Rise: Remove the dough from the mixer, dust with excess flour, and form into a ball. Place it in a clean bowl, cover with a towel, and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
4. Divide Dough: Once risen, punch down the dough and divide it into 6 small balls using excess flour to prevent sticking. Cover again and let rise for another 30 minutes.
5. Prepare Meat Filling: While the dough is rising, sauté the ground beef over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the moisture evaporates. Add vegetable oil and chopped onion, sautéing until onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in seven spices, salt, black pepper, and pine nuts, cooking for 2 more minutes to blend flavors. Remove from heat.
6. Preheat Oven and Prep Molds: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the inside of the skull molds with vegetable oil using a pastry brush to prevent sticking.
7. Shape Dough: Roll out each dough ball to about 1/8 inch thickness. Drape the dough over the skull mold, gently pressing it into all the contours evenly to form the skull shape.
8. Fill Pies: Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the meat filling into the center of the dough on the mold. Fold the dough’s bottom and top edges together to meet at the middle and pinch tightly to seal. Bring the sides together, trim off excess dough leaving just enough to seal edges fully. Pinch seams securely to enclose filling. Repeat for all 6 molds.
9. Additional Pies: Use the leftover dough to form 2 additional balls, and fill with the remaining filling to make 2 more skull pies following the same method.
10. Egg Wash: Beat the egg and brush the tops of each pie with the egg wash to achieve a shiny, golden crust during baking.
11. Bake: Place the filled molds on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 22 minutes until the pies are golden brown and cooked through.
12. Cool and Serve: Allow the pies to cool inside the molds for 5 minutes before carefully removing them. These meat pies can be served hot or at room temperature and make a delicious, impressive snack or meal.

Notes

• Use warm milk to activate the yeast properly; too hot can kill the yeast.
• Brush skull molds well with oil to ensure easy removal of the pies after baking.
• If you don’t have skull molds, regular muffin tins can be used but will lose the skull effect.
• Seven spices is a Middle Eastern spice blend; you can substitute with a blend of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, black pepper, and cardamom if unavailable.
• Letting the dough rise twice enhances the bread’s light and fluffy texture.
• Leftover pies can be reheated in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes to refresh crust crispness.

Keywords: Skull Meat Pies, ground beef pies, savory meat pies, festival snacks, yeast dough pies