Ratatouille Hand Pies with Eggplant, Heirloom Tomato, & Cornmeal Crust
Rustic Ratatouille Hand Pies are stacked with layers of roasted eggplant, ripe tomato, melty cheese, & a sprinkling of fresh herbs & briny olives, all wrapped up in a hearty cornmeal crust.
Servings 12 pies
Calories 633kcal
Ingredients
Cornmeal Whole Wheat Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (plus some for dusting)
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup coarse cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and kept chilled (2 sticks)
- 1 large egg, chilled and beaten
- ¼-1/2 cup ice water
Vegetable & Cheese Filling
- 2 pounds eggplant, cut into slices 1/8th inch thick (3-4 medium sized eggplants)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ pounds heirloom tomatoes, sliced thin (about 2 large tomatoes)
- ½ pound cherry tomatoes, halved (preferably multi-colored)
- 1 cup olives, pitted and halved
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shaved thin (about 2 ounces)
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin (about 8 ounces)
- Fresh basil leaves (about 24)
- Fresh thyme sprigs (about 24)
- Egg wash (one egg beaten with two tablespoons milk)
- Coarse sea salt & freshly ground cracked black pepper, for topping
Instructions
Make the Crust Dough
- Whisk together the flours, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Fold in the cubes of chilled butter, and mix slowly with the paddle attachment until the dough is crumbly and the butter is pea-sized. Whisk together the beaten egg and ¼ cup water. Increase the mixer speed and slowly pour in the egg mixture. Mix until just combined, adding a little more water if needed. The dough should be pliable, but not too sticky.
- Divide the dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least an hour.
Roast the Eggplant & Prepare the Filling
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with foil and coat with non-stick spray. Spread the slices of eggplant out on the sheets, and drizzle with olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Roast for about 30 minutes, until golden and tender. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
- Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. As the eggplant cools, prepare the remaining ingredients. Line two (cool) baking sheets with parchment paper.
Assemble the Hand Pies
- Dust a clean work surface with flour to prevent sticking. Working with one disk of dough at a time, divide each into six balls of dough (for a total of twelve). Roll out each ball into a rough circle about 1/8th inch thick, and arrange on the parchment lined baking sheets.
- Layer the prepared filling ingredients in this order, leaving about two inches of dough on each side: one or two slices of mozzarella cheese; one slice of roasted eggplant (or enough to cover the cheese if your slices are small); one slice heirloom tomato; and two to three fresh basil leaves.
- On top of this stack, sprinkle a few shavings of parmesan cheese, three to five olive halves, and two to three cherry tomato halves. Top with one or two sprigs of thyme.
- Fold the edges of each circle up and over the filling ingredients, pleating the dough as you go. Leave the center open, exposing the colors of the ingredients, as you would a traditional galette.
- Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle each hand pie with sprinkle with a pinch each of coarse sea salt and freshly ground cracked black pepper. Bake the pies for 25-30 minutes, until the crusts are golden and the bottoms are firm and heated through. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Make Ahead & Freeze: Hand pies are a great dish to make ahead and serve at picnics, potlucks, or just for a quick dinner. Once the pies are cool, separate them out into a single layer on a clean baking sheet and freeze for about two hours. Once frozen, transfer the pies to a freezer safe plastic container and store in the freezer. When ready to eat, reheat the pies in a 400 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes. Enjoy frozen pies within 3 months of freezing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pie | Calories: 633kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 1113mg | Potassium: 376mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1550IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 610mg | Iron: 1.3mg