A medium-bodied red would work best here, something that pairs well with both the beef mince and the tomato sauce. That’s why I suggest a Merlot, Montepulciano or GSM (Côtes du Rhône blend).
Cheeseburger pies
These perfect party treats contain a savoury mince filling that’s amplified by adding the classic cheeseburger flavours of tomato sauce and cheese.
Servings
12 Servings
PREP TIME
15 mins
COOK TIME
40 mins
TOTAL TIME
55 mins
Difficulty
Easy
Wine pairing
GSM (Cotes du Rhone blend), Merlot, Montepulciano
Ingredients
1 tsp oil
400 g beef mince
⅓ cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
⅓ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup pickle relish
3 tbsp American mustard
½ onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
¾ cup tasty cheese, shredded
3 shortcrust pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg, whisked
¼ cup sesame seeds
½ tsp each salt and pepper
Ingredients
1 tsp oil
1 lb beef mince
⅓ cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
⅓ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup pickle relish
3 tbsp American mustard
½ onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
¾ cup tasty cheese, shredded
3 shortcrust pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg, whisked
¼ cup sesame seeds
½ tsp each salt and pepper
Note: This recipe makes 12 small pies (slightly larger than party pie size). Every pie tin is sized a little bit differently, so you may get slightly more or less. If you make large pies, you should get 4-5 pies.
- Using ready-made shortcrust pastry sheets saves time and effort.
- If you prefer or just don’t like the taste, you can leave out the mayonnaise, mustard or pickle relish. But together the flavours meld into your typical burger sauce.
- You could use chopped dill pickles in place of the pickle relish.
- The balsamic vinegar is just to add some extra umami flavour (savouriness). You can substitute with worcestershire sauce, or omit it.
Directions
1Make the meat sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C / 430°F fan-forced (240°C / 465°F conventional).
2. Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the mince and cook, stirring and breaking it apart, until it’s browned (about 5 minutes).
Tip: The mince is easier to break apart once it’s cooked.
4. Add the balsamic vinegar, stir through, and cook for 1 minute.
5. Turn off the heat and add the tomato sauce, mayonnaise, pickle relish, mustard, grated cheese and salt and pepper. Mix it through until it’s well combined and the cheese has melted.
2Make the pies
1. Prepare a 12-cup pie or patty tin by spraying or greasing it with a little oil, so the pies don’t stick to it.
2. Use a round cookie cutter that’s slightly larger than the top diameter of the pie holes to cut the pie bottoms from the shortcrust pastry.
Tip: To avoid the pastry drying out, keep it in the fridge right until you need it. If you need to leave it on the bench for a short period of time, cover it with a tea towel or cling film.
3. Push the pastry circles gently into the pie holes, folding down any overlaps as necessary.
4. Fill the pies with the mince mixture, so the filling is almost level to the top.
5. Using a smaller cookie cutter that’s the same size (or only slightly bigger) than the pie hole, cut pie tops from the remaining pastry. Place pastry on top of pies, and use a fork or fingers to push down around the edges to seal the pies.
6. Brush the top of the pies with the whisked egg, and top with a generous amount of sesame seeds. Use a sharp knife or the fork to poke a few small holes in the top, so steam can escape while cooking.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pies are a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes and then use a spatula or fork to remove these to a plate or tray to serve.
Wine pairing