Burger Pies

by Nokx Majozi, featured in The South African Cookbook

Published by Bloomsbury

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Introduction

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Best. Pie. Ever. Whoever first decided to put a burger patty in a pie, I owe them a debt of gratitude. I first encountered them in my student days when we would stop at the local garage for a ‘garage pie’ after a night out. The burger pies always sold out first, and so their popularity began to spread beyond late-night student spots to places such as Woolworths. But they are also very easy to make at home, so you’ll be out of the kitchen and feasting in no time. It contains all the hallmarks of a great burger: a succulent beef patty, salty cheese, sweet tomato relish, griddled onions and tart slices of gherkin. The recipe also calls for ready-made puff pastry, so that’s another thing to celebrate about this great recipe. Make this now and thank me later!

As featured in

The South African Cookbook

Image of Nokx Majozi's Burger Pies — Photo by Yuki Sugiura

Ingredients

Serves: 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 beef burger patties
1 x 500 grams block of shop-bought puff pastry
plain flour (for dusting)
8 slices of Cheddar cheese
2 large gherkins (thinly sliced lengthways)
1 egg - beaten (for sealing and glazing)
sea salt and black pepper

For the tomato sauce

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tomatoes (finely chopped)
20 grams fresh parsley (finely chopped)

Method

Burger Pies is a guest recipe by Nokx Majozi so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Place a large frying pan over a high heat and add the oil.
Season the burgers with salt and pepper on both sides and sear in the pan for about 2–3 minutes on each side.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature, then put in the fridge to chill fully.
In the same pan over a medium heat, make the tomato sauce. Add the oil to the pan, then add the onion and garlic and cook for about 6–8 minutes until translucent, stirring regularly so it doesn’t catch.
Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and stir the parsley through. Season to taste and leave to cool to room temperature, then put in the fridge to chill before assembling the pies.
Remove the pastry from the fridge 15 minutes before using so it has time to soften a little. Lightly dust a clean work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Roll the block of pastry out into a rectangle 30cm x 60cm and 5mm thick. Cut 4 circles measuring 16cm diameter, and 4 circles measuring 10cm diameter out of the sheets.
Place the 10cm pastry circles on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce to each, leaving a 1cm border around the edge. Add the burger patties, then top each with one slice of cheese, a slice of gherkin (halved to fit neatly, if necessary), another teaspoon of tomato sauce and another cheese slice.
Brush the edges with the beaten egg and place the other pastry circles on top. Press down around the edges to eliminate any air bubbles and seal the pie. Press the edges with a fork to ensure they are well sealed.
Brush the top of the pies with beaten egg and chill for at least 15 minutes before baking.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C.
Poke a little hole in the top of the pies before putting them in the oven, then bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and crispy. Serve with a green salad on the side.