Caramelized Onion, Kale, + Cheddar Hand Pies

When you have a random piece of puff pastry hiding in the freezers, hand pies are the answer! In this case, a weeknight effort of clearing out the fridge resulted in these Caramelized Onion, Kale, + Cheddar Hand Pies. Think of them as a DIY hot pocket. That’s what I sold it to Jordan as, and honestly - it delivered. They’re crispy + buttery + loaded with a blend of veggies and cheese. Eating it, all I could think about was like a warm spinach dip despite no spinach being involved. The kale is an even better choice than spinach - it so satisfying + when cooked down with a heap of buttery caramelized onions, it’s this savory + rich pile of veggies that is so so good. We didn’t skimp + piled it high in the middle of puff pastry squares before sealing all the edge. We added a little bit of white cheddar + a light honey drizzle on top, and it was DIY hot pocket success.

 
 

For the hand pies

  • 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed

  • 3 tbsp butter

  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

  • salt + pepper

  • 1 bunch of kale, stems removed + sliced

  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme

  • 1 c. shredded white cheddar cheese

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • Honey + everything bagel seasoning for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 + line a baking sheet with parchment.

Place a skilled over medium heat + add in the butter. Once melted add in the onion, stirring to coat. Add in a generous pinch of salt + pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes while stirring every 5 minutes or so. When the onions are caramelized + a deep brown color, add in the kale + thyme. Cover + cook for an additional 8-10 minutes. Turn off the heat + let the mixture cool.

To prep the puff pastry, gently stretch the dough with your hands - you want to have a large rectangular piece. Cut the puff pastry into 4 segments. On one side of each piece, sprinkle a 2 tbsp cheese + top with a 1/4 cup of the cooked veggies. Leave a 1/2 inch board around the side. Fold over the over half, and use a fork to press the pieces of dough together. Brush the egg wash over the top + 3 cut small slits into the top of each. Sprinkle with a bit of the everything seasoning. Bake for 20-25 minutes - the puff pastry should be browned + firm (no soggy bottom). Let them cool for 3 minutes on the hot baking sheet.

Finish by transferring the hand pies to a serving dish + drizzling each with honey. Serve warm + toasty.

Lesley ZehnerComment