West African Meat Pies are a very popular traditional dish in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal. These pies are known for their flaky pastry and savory spiced meat filling, representing a unique fusion of flavors and culinary techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation.
In different Latin American countries, similar dishes are known by different names, such as empanadas or pastelitos, although the preparation and ingredients can vary considerably. In West Africa, meat pies are usually served as appetizers or during special celebrations, reflecting the region's cultural richness and culinary diversity.
How to Make West African Meat Pies
Mix all the spices, chopped bell peppers, and chopped onion with the ground meat completely, and brown the meat in a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet until the meat is cooked.
Once the ground meat is cooked, add the chopped cooked potatoes and heat for 5 minutes.
Taste the meat mixture and adjust the amount of spices to taste.
To make the dough: sift the dry ingredients and cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.
While mixing with a wooden spoon, add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together into a ball.
When the dough comes together into a ball, lightly dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough until it is 1/8 inch thick.
Cut 6-8 inch circles.
Place two teaspoons of meat filling in the center of each dough circle.
Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold the top half of the circle over the filling, and pinch the edges with a fork to seal.
Once all the pies are formed, lightly brush the top with beaten egg.
Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
