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Nigerian Meat Pie

Also known as Nigerian Meat Pie (Full Bakery Method)

The Nigerian Meat Pie is the most iconic Nigerian baked food — a golden, flaky shortcrust pastry case filled with a moist, well-seasoned minced beef, potato and carrot filling that is eaten at every Nigerian bakery, roadside stall, school canteen and party table. Unlike the Western beef pie, the Nigerian Meat Pie is characteristically flat and wide rather than deep, with a thin, golden, slightly crumbly pastry that shatters pleasantly at the first bite to reveal the well-seas

Nigerian Meat Pie, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 6 big cups of plain flour
  • A big stick of cold butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 big egg for the dough
  • Cold water — added gradually to bring the dough together
  • 1 egg beaten with a little milk — for egg washing the pies FOR THE MEAT FILLING:
  • A big piece of lean beef mince
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 big onion, very finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons of curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon of thyme
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • 2 big big tablespoons of plain flour — for thickening the filling
  • 1 glass of water or beef stock
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cooking spoons of vegetable oil

Method

  1. 01

    Making the Filling — Cool Completely Before Use. Heat oil in a pan. Add finely chopped onion and fry 2 minutes. Add beef mince and brown thoroughly for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up all lumps with a spoon. Add curry, thyme, seasoning cubes and salt. Add diced potatoes and carrots. Stir in 2 big tablespoons of flour. Add 1 glass of water or stock. Stir well. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender and the filling is thick and moist — not wet and not dry. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spread on a tray and allow to cool completely before using — hot filling in pastry creates steam that makes the bottom soggy.

  2. 02

    Making the Shortcrust Pastry. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Add cold butter pieces. Using your fingertips, rub the butter rapidly into the flour until the mixture resembles fine, even breadcrumbs — work quickly so the heat of your hands does not melt the butter. Beat the egg. Add to the crumb mixture. Add cold water a tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until the dough just comes together into a smooth ball. Do not overwork. Wrap in cling film and rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

  3. 03

    Rolling and Cutting the Pastry. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the rested pastry to the thickness of 2 coins. Use a large round cutter (about the size of a large teacup rim) or a saucer as a guide to cut uniform circles. Gather and re-roll trimmings as needed.

  4. 04

    Filling and Sealing. Place a generous tablespoon of completely cooled filling on one half of each pastry circle — do not overfill or the pie will burst. Fold the unfilled half over to create a semicircle. Press the edges firmly together. Crimp the sealed edge firmly with the tines of a fork, pressing all the way along — this creates the characteristic Nigerian Meat Pie edge seal. Place on a greased baking tray.

  5. 05

    Egg Washing and Baking. Brush the top of each pie generously with the beaten egg and milk mixture — this gives the characteristic golden, slightly glossy top. Prick the top of each pie once with a fork to allow steam to escape. Bake in a hot preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until deeply golden-brown.

  6. 06

    Serving. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving — the filling will be extremely hot. Serve warm.

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