Recipe: Mini Chicken Adobo Hand Pies

You won't want to eat just one.

I’m currently working with a number of book bloggers, food historians and chefs on the companion digital cookbook for IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS. It’s such a fun project working with all these creative food lovers. The recipes will highlight the various foods featured in the novel (and there are a lot!). I included foods across the historical spectrum, ranging from Bartolomeo Scappi to Artusi and more, but now that I’m on the very final edits, I’m realizing that I left out my friend, Antonio Latini, the fancy lad below, who had a two-volume cookbook published in 1694, Lo Scalco alla Moderna. 

Latini was the subject of my “pandemic book”— the book I wrote to keep me sane during 2020-2021. I translated his autobiography from the Italian to write a novel about his life. Hopefully, that will be published at some point in the future.

While I was working on that novel, I tested several of his recipes. One of my favorites is a chicken hand pie.

His cookbook, The Modern Steward, or The Art of Preparing Banquets Well, was translated by Professor Tomasso Astarita, who was enormously helpful when I wrote this novel.

Illustration from Antonio Latini’s 1694 manual: Lo Scalco all Moderna ( i.e. The Modern Steward)

Antonio Latini was the steward for the Spanish viceroy in Naples, and as he was working with a bunch of Spaniards, the recipes he included in his manual had that influence. At this point in time, the usual spices were up to the cook but likely included cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. However, in this hand pie recipe, Latini says they are made in the "Spanish style.” This style often included oregano, onion, garlic, and chile spices (the key ingredients in a typical modern adobo blend), and in fact, Latini is the first person to have recipes with chilis and tomatoes that show up in print.

Marinades using vinegar (adobos in the Spanish language) became increasingly popular at this time, especially when the Spaniards became enamored of the practice after their colonists in the Philippines described a similar method of cooking used by the people of that land.  

When I originally created this recipe, I used a spice blend that is no longer available from the wonderful site Book Club Cookbook, which had a blend called “Miami Spice” after the TV show. However, any good adobo blend will do for these pies.

The recipe sounds like Latini meant for these to be small, covered pies rather than folded ones. But he also describes impanatas in his manual, just two recipes up from where this one appears. Of course, we know them today as empanadas. 

Latini's recipe also calls for the pies to be served with sugar on top--I'll leave that up to you, but I have left it out of the recipe as we modern eaters tend to separate sweet and savory in a way that people of the past did not. 

MINI CHICKEN ADOBO HAND PIES

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

• 1-1/4 cups of all-purpose flour

• 1 stick of ice-cold butter cut into small pieces

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup ice-cold water

1. Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor several times.

2. Then add butter and pulse until the flour feels almost like sand. Start the processor and slowly add water until you have what resembles a coarse meal. Turn out on a smooth surface and press the dough together. 

3. Knead the dough 2 or 3 times on a lightly floured surface, being careful not to knead too much. Form a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes before using.

FILLING

• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, chopped

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1/2 medium red onion, chopped

• 3 tsp adobo spice blend

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1 beaten egg yolk to glaze the pies

1. Cook all filling ingredients in an Instant Pot on high for 30 minutes, or you can cook them in a skillet or Dutch oven on the stovetop until the chicken is cooked through. If you choose to cook them on the stovetop, make sure to shred the chicken with a fork once it is cooked. Drain any liquids.

1. Let the mixture cool to slightly warmer than room temperature.

2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Working quickly so the dough does not get too warm, roll out on a floured surface until it's thin but not so thin it will tear easily.

3. Use a 4" pastry cutter (or you can use a glass) to create circles. If you have leftover dough, put it back into the refrigerator while you fill the pies to let it get cold enough to roll out again. 

4. Scoop about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling into the center of each dough round. Crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork.
   
   If you want to freeze some of the pies for easy baking later, put them on a baking sheet and freeze them for 30 minutes before putting them into a plastic bag or other container for complete freezing. To cook later, follow the below instructions but you'll need to add 10-15 minutes to the cooking time.

5. Arrange hand pies on a greased/oiled baking sheet. Beat the egg yolks with a fork, then brush each hand pie with the egg wash.

6. Poke the top of each pie with a fork to let steam escape.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees or until hand pies are golden brown.

These are delicious, eaten as is, or you could serve with a little sour cream for dipping.

Buon Appetito!

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There’s Still Time!

• If you haven’t entered yet, my publisher, MIRA Books, is giving away a copy of IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS. Go here to throw your hat into the ring for it. And of course, if you want to just go ahead and help a gal out by pre-ordering it, you can at this link.

• My first novel, Feast of Sorrow, is the story of Apicius, the ancient gourmand whose name is on the oldest known cookbook. He died in the most bizarre way, and I tell the tale of how he got there. It’s a Kindle Daily deal for $1.99 for May only!

• And finally, my second novel, The Chef’s Secret, is now available on Kindle Unlimited, so if you have it, make sure you snag it as one of your reads.

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What’s Bringing Me Joy This Week

• I love Maya and Ethan Hawke digging through the Criterion collection for their favorite picks.

• This music teacher, teaching students about Italian cheese.

  frankmoyomusic

  

  A post shared by @frankmoyomusic

• If you are watching the Amazon show based on the Fallout video games (I’m currently playing a lot of Fallout 76, which is much better than when it first launched), you’ll love this commercial for Sugar Bombs.

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If you love food and love Italy, and haven’t read THE CHEF’S SECRET or FEAST OF SORROW, click the links to learn where to buy your copy! 🍒🍗🍷 And now you can pre-order IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS!

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