Crispy Caramel Corn

 2 C butter

1 C light Kayro Syrup

2 C white sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

32 C popped corn (about 3 bags from Market Basket)

Stir together the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add baking soda. Continue to stir until bubbly.

Place the popcorn in 2 greased roasting pans.  Pour sugar mixture evenly over popcorn and stir well.

Bake 250 F for an hour but stir every 20 minutes. Spread on wax paper to cool.

Smoked Salmon Dip

 4 oz smoked salmon, flaked

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 sour cream

1 TBS lemon juice

1 TBS fresh minced dill

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 shallot, finely chopped

Mix together all the ingredients until well blended. Put in serving dish and top with shallots and capers. Serve with Triscuits.

Mexican Cornbread

 Ingredients 

• 3 cups fresh corn kernels
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¹/₂ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. 
   
3. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and set aside.
4. 
   
5. Add the corn kernels, milk, butter and vanilla extract to a blender or food processor, and purée until mostly smooth. If you like the presentation of whole kernels, set aside about 1/4 cup before puréeing.
6. 
   
7. Once the mixture is mostly smooth, add the eggs and pulse 5 or 6 times. Add the rest of the ingredients, and purée until well-incorporated. Fold in the reserved corn kernels (if using).
8. 
   
9. Butter a 9 x 13 pan, pour in the batter, and bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Remove the pan de elote from the oven, and allow to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

From Lee Duberman

 

Challow (White Rice)

 

Ingredients 2 1/2 cups of Basmati rice 1/4 of a cup cooking oil  11/2 tbsp cumin seeds whole (to taste) 1 tbsp of salt 11/2 tbsp cardamom (finely ground) 6 cups of water Instructions Preheat the oven to 350 About 30 minutes before you want to start cooking place the rice into a large bowl and fill with cold water. Scrub all of the grains of rice and carefully drain the water off. Repeat 3 times or until the cold water is clear. After the last rinse, fill the bowl over the level of the rice with the cold water and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. In a large ovenproof deep pan with a tight-fitting lid, add the water and sprinkle the water lightly with salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil, and then drain the water from the rice and add to the boiling water. Stir all the rice once and then let it come back to a boil or about 7 minutes or until the rice is soft when you bite on a piece. Drain the water from the rice in a strainer and in a separate glass, take 1/4 of a cup of hot water and dissolve 1 tbsp of salt into the water. Add 1/4 of vegetable oil to the hot water and salt and mix well. Add this mix to all of the rice in a back and forth motion until the top of the rice is covered. Next add the cardamom and cumin to the rice. With a wide flat spatula mix this into the rice by lifting a section and shaking the rice back into the pan. Repeat until the whole pan of rice is mixed and covered with oil (it will look slightly shiny) and the spices are dispersed throughout the rice. Pile the rice into a mound in the middle and with the back of the spatula, in a circle pattern make 5 "holes" for ventilation in the mound (four around the circle and one in the middle of it). Place the top on the pot and place in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes turn the oven off and leave for 20-30 more minutes to let the rice set up. When you go to serve the rice first separate it by taking a portion and shaking it back into the pan, repeat until all of the rice is separated. by Christi Qazi / May 22, 2007

Broccoli Salad

 

• Ingredients
• 
  
• 1 and 1/2 pounds broccoli*
• 1 avocado, pitted and halved
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest + 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and water then set aside. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 1-inch water to a boil. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket and place over saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until broccoli is bright green, about 4 to 6 minutes.

Drain well and transfer to the bowl with ice water to cool for about 10 minutes. Drain again then transfer to a salad spinner and spin dry (or lay on a towel to dry).

In a blender or food processor (I used a NutriBullet) combine avocado, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, and 3/4 teaspoon salt + 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Add broccoli to a large serving bowl then add the avocado dressing, cranberries, almonds, shallot and tarragon. Toss to combine then season with salt & pepper, to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy!

*Chop florets into 1-inch pieces then peel the stalk, halve it lengthwise and slice into 1/4-inch pieces

I wasn’t able to find fresh tarragon so I made it without. The salad is best served fresh as the avocado will cause it to brown if served the next day. You can prep the broccoli in advance and add everything else to the bowl, minus the dressing. Then when you are ready to serve, make the avocado dressing and toss to combine. Recipe is from ATK.

 

Amazing Asparagus Layer Cake

 

Prep: 45 mins

Cool: 1 hr

Bake: 40 mins at 350°

Servings: 16

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed* and cut up
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¾ cup butter
• 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped nuts
• ½ cup snipped pitted dates
• ½ cup light raisins
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)

Directions

• Step 1

Cook the cut-up asparagus, covered, in the boiling water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly. Transfer asparagus and cooking liquid to a blender container or food processor bowl; cover and blend or process until pureed. (You should have 2 cups; add water if necessary.) Set aside.

• Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds or until softened. Add brown sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in eggs.

• Step 3

In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with asparagus puree, beating until just combined after each addition. With a wooden spoon, stir in nuts, dates and raisins.

• Step 4

Pour into 2 greased and floured 8x1-1/2-inch or 9x1-1/2-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2 inch baking pan.

• Step 5

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes for the 8-inch pans, 35 to 40 minutes for the 9-inch pans and about 30 minutes for the 13x9x2-inch pan or until a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean.

• Step 6

Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove round layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks. Frost top of one layer with Cream Cheese Frosting. Place second layer on top; frost top and sides. (For 13x9x2-inch cake, leave in pan and frost only the top.) Makes 16 servings.

*

To prepare asparagus, wash and scrape off scales, if you like. Break off the woody bases at the place where the spears snap easily.

Serve with goat cheese panna cotta. Dessert from Iona.

Portuguese Bread

 

·         2 tablespoons sugar

·         3 teaspoons salt

·         6 tablespoons vegetable shortening

·         1 cup boiling water

·         1 package dry yeast

·         1 cup warm water

·         6 cups flour

·         Olive oil

·        

1.   Place sugar, salt and shortening in a bowl. Add boiling water. Cool to lukewarm.

2.   Dissolve yeast in 1 cup lukewarm water. Add to sugar and shortening mixture.

3.   Add 3 cups of the flour and beat until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour. Knead the dough.

4.   Grease a bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and put in a warm spot until dough is doubled in size.

5.   Punch down the dough and divide in half. Shape each into a round loaf and put on an oiled cookie sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 400 degrees F until golden.

 

Artichoke Bruschetta

Ingredients

1 loaf Country Bread  (with thick crust, about 10 by 5 inches, ends discarded, sliced crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick pieces)

½ Garlic Clove  (peeled)

¼ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 (14-ounce) can Artichoke Hearts  (rinsed and patted dry)

2 teaspoons Lemon Juice

1 Garlic Clove  (minced)

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil  (plus extra for serving)

2 tablespoons Fresh Basil Leaves  (finely shredded)

¼ teaspoon Table Salt

¼ teaspoon Pepper

2 ounces Parmesan Cheese  (1 ounce finely grated, about 1/2 cup, 1 ounce shaved into strips with vegetable peeler) 

Broil the bread and watch carefully 2-1 minutes.  Spread the artichoke stuff over the bread and top with shard of parm.

Cannoli Cream Filling

 Ingredients

24 oz Whole milk ricotta cheese

 8 oz Mascarpone cheese

1 C powdered sugar

2 tsp fresh orange zest

1 tsp vanilla

1 C heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1. Spread ricotta over 2 layers of paper towels covered with 2 more layers of paper towels on a rimmed baking sheet. Rest to drain for 15 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mix the cheeses with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add the 10x sugar, zest, and vanilla. Gradually whisk in the whipping cream until smooth and fluffy. Spoon into a zip lock bag and refrigerate until needed.

3. When ready, snip off the end of a corner and pipe into cannoli shells. Sprinkle ends with mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios. Sprinkle with more 10x sugar. Chill until ready to eat.

I buy the small cannoli shells from Market Basket.

Pistachio Cream

 Ingredients

1 1/4 C raw, unsalted pistachios, shelled

2 TBS unsalted butter

3/4 C whole milk or cream

4 oz good white chocolate chopped (about 1 cup)

2 TBS confectioner's sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Bring medium-sized pot of water to a boil and add shelled pistachios. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain and place on a clean kitchen towel.

2. Fold towel over to cover, and rub nuts in towel to loosen the skins. Discard the skins. Make sure the nuts are completely dry, then add to the blender.

3. Add butter and 1/4 C milk to a small microwaveable bowl. Heat in 20 second bursts, just until the butter is melted and milk is hot. Add white chocolate and stir until melted. If it needs more melting, heat for another 10-15 seconds and stir.

4. Add 10x sugar and salt to the blender with the nuts. Scrape in the melted white chocolate/butter mixture. Pulse on medium speed until the pistachios turn into a paste.

5. Slowly, add a few TBS at a time of remaining milk until it's the desired thickness. Remember to stop the blender to scrape down the sides. Blend 30 seconds until its smooth, transfer to airtight container til ready to use. Will last 2 weeks in the fridge.

I like to add this to cannoli cream to make a pistachio cannoli.

Filipino Spanish Bread

 Use Aunt Lulu’s potato roll recipe for the bread. I use half the dough recipe.

Filling:

  Stir together in a pot until a thick paste happens:

      1/4 c butter

       2 teaspoons flour

       1/2 c bread crumbs

        1/8 c milk

        1/2 c brown sugar

        Pinch salt

   Cut dough into 12 small pieces and working one at a time, roll long rectangle and rub melted butter along central area. Add some filling to press out. Roll up jelly roll style. Repeat for the 12 rolls.

Roll each roll in milk and toss in 1/2 c bread crumbs. Let rise 2 hours in warm place covered.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls on middle rack for 20 minutes.

Custard Tarts

 5 sheets puff pastry

Flour for dusting

Melted butter for brushing

Filling:

  3 egg yolks

  3 whole eggs

  1/2 c superfine sugar

  2 teaspoon vanilla

  1 c milk

  1 c light cream

Lightly brush 20 small muffin tins w melted butter.

Dust work surface w flour. Place 1 sheet puff pastry on top. Cut the sheet in half and place halves on top of each other. Starting from short end, roll the pastry up tightly. Cut the roll into 4 even pieces.

Place one piece on surface w cut side up and smash down w palm of hand. Then roll into a .04 inch flat disc. Line a muffin hole w the pastry disc. Repeat for all the muffin tins and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before filling.

Preheat oven to 360° F

In a large bowl whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla well. Stir in the milk and cream. Transfer the mixture to a pitcher and fill shells 2/3s full. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to 320° F and bake for another 20 minutes.

Use a butter knife to remove the tarts from the tins. Best served warm or room temperature.

Turnip Cake

Soak overnight and blend fine:

   1/2 lb long grain rice

   3 cups water

Shred and stir fry:

1/2 lb daikon

Add then remove from wok:

1.5 teaspoon salt and white pepper

Chile oil

Stir fry:

1/2 lb Chinese sausage

1/2 lb chopped shrimp

1 cup scallion, garlic, ginger

Combine w rice and daikon

Line loaf pans w plastic wrap

Pour into pans and steam for 90 minutes

Cool, slice and pan fry

Serve with oyster Superior Sauce

Makes 2-3 loaves for Dim Sum. Recipe from Lee Duberman 

Goat Cheese Panna Cotta

Ingredients

Goat Cheese Panna Cotta:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or substitute 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)

• 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin

• 3 ounces mild chèvre goat cheese


Strawberries:

• 1 cup quartered strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
• Thinnly sliced shisho leaves for garnish (optional)

Method

To prepare the panna cotta, bring the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the gelatin, stirring until dissolved. Add the goat cheese and stir until smooth. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and discard the vanilla bean pod.

Divide the mixture among 6 ramekins placed on a half sheet pan or cookie sheet. Refrigerate until set, approximately 3 to 5 hours.

To prepare the strawberries, combine the strawberries, sugar, and Grand Marnier in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes.

To serve, unmold the panna cotta by dipping the ramekin in hot water and running a knife around the edge of the panna cotta. Invert onto a plate. Arrange the strawberries around the panna cotta. Garnish with the sliced shiso leaves, if using.

Yield

6 servings

Afghan Salad

Can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
Diced boiled potato
Diced peeled cucumber
Diced tomato and green pepper
Corn kernels
Fresh diced avocado (not really in the Afghan version)

Fresh lemon juice 2 pinches ground cumin, salt & pepper and 2 TBS cilantro chutney (aka green stuff).

Cilantro Chutney

Blend together in an electric blender:
1 coarsely chopped onion
2 cups cilantro leaves, whole
5 large chili peppers, to taste
Juice from 2 lemons
3 tsp salt
¼ cup fresh ginger root (about 2 inches)
½ tsp cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup fresh mint leaves

Serve chilled.

Mock Marzetti's Slaw Dressing

I can't seem to buy this product in Marin County so I found this on the internet.

Blend together:
2 c mayo
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c white vinegar
2 TBS yellow mustard

I always use it in my mother's potato salad recipe. Boiled peeled new potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, diced celery and red onion, salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce and healthy dose of Marzetti's slaw dressing. Yum!

Gazpacho

Serves 4

2 lbs ripe tomatoes (about 10 plum tomatoes)
1/2 lb cucumber (about 1 cuke)
3 oz green pepper (about 1/2 pepper)
1 clove garlic
2 TBS sherry vinegar
1/2 c water
3/4 c Spanish olive oil
2 tsp salt

Place into blender:
Quartered  tomatoes (discard the core and top of tomatoes)
Peeled and cut cucumber & green pepper chunks
Add the garlic, vinegar, water and blend to a thick liquid.

Add the olive oil and salt and reblend.
Pour the soup through a strainer into a pitcher and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

While it's cooling, prepare the crouton and other garnishes.
In 1 TBS of olive oil, fry a piece of crusty bread on both sides until crisp. Cut into small bits.
Finely dice peeled cucumber and green pepper as well as bits of tomato from the tops.

Place some of each garnish into a bowl and pour the chilled gazpacho over. drizzle with more olive oil.

This recipe comes from my favorite restaurant in DC, Jaleo's.  It belongs to the Andalucian wife of Chef Jose Andres.

Turkish Pide Bread

Ingredients
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet instant dry yeast
• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 tablespoon soft butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large room-temperature egg yolk
• 1/2 cup plain room-temperature yogurt
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon nigella seeds

Steps to Make It
1. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl. Empty the packet of dry yeast on top and combine with your fingers.
2. Add the warm water and combine lightly with a fork. Next, add the milk and do the same.
3. Add the softened butter or margarine and olive oil and combine. Lastly, add the sugar and salt.
4. Now it’s time to knead the dough. You can knead with a mixer or by hand. If you are using a mixer, process the dough for about 10 minutes using the dough kneading hook. If you choose to knead by hand, knead the dough in the bowl for 15 minutes.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about five minutes more. The dough should be very soft. If it’s too firm, knead in another tablespoon of olive oil until smooth.
6. Transfer the dough to a warm place. Cover it with a damp cloth and let it rise for about two hours.
7.     After two hours, the dough should be about double in size. Remove the cloth and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into two pieces with a dough cutter or sharp carving knife.
8.     Shape your pide loaves using your fingers. Make each loaf flat and either oval or round, about 1/2 inch thick.
9.     Place each loaf on a metal baking tray sprinkled with flour.
10.   Using a sharp knife dipped in flour, first cut about 1 inch in from the edge to make a circle all the way around the loaf. Then, inside the circle, make diagonal cuts in opposite directions to make a diamond pattern. Do the same with the other loaf. (I cover and let rise about 20 minutes.  Then I press my fingers into it like you would for foccacia.)
11.   In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt and egg yolk. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the loaves generously with the yogurt-egg mixture.
12.   Sprinkle the sesame and nigella seeds evenly over the tops.
13.   Bake in a heated oven at 430 F/225 C oven with a shallow tray of water placed at the bottom for about 25-30 minutes or until the top becomes deep, golden brown.
14.   Serve the pide hot out of the oven.

I usually just make 1/2 recipe and 1 loaf.

Half recipe amounts:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 (1/4-ounce) packet instant dry yeast
• 2/3 cups warm water
• 1/4 cup warm milk
• 1/2 tablespoon soft butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large room-temperature egg yolk
• 1/4 cup plain room-temperature yogurt
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1/2 tablespoon nigella seeds

Crepes

2 c AP flour
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 c whole milk
4 large eggs
3 TBS melted unsalted butter
+ 2 more TBS melted butter for cooking the crepes

Whisk flour, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl.

Whisk milk and eggs in a separate bowl. Add half the milk mixture to the flour bowl and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in the 3 TBS melted butter until incorporated. Whisk in remaining milk mixture until smooth. (Batter can be refrigerated up to 2 days before cooking the crepes - will need to whisk again.)

Brush bottom of a 12-inch nonstick skillet lightly with remaining melted butter (and brush between each crepe as well). Heat skillet over medium heat until hot- about 2 minutes.  Add 1/3 c batter to center of skillet and simultaneously lift and rotate skillet in circular motion to swirl the batter all over the bottom of pan. Cook crepes until the edges look dry and start to curl and bottom of crepe is light golden (60-90 seconds).  Using the rubber spatula, lift edge and flip crepe to lightly cook the other side.  Then lift over to slide onto plate.  Continue cooking and stacking your crepes. (Adjust burner heat to keep the crepes just right.)  You can keep the crepes in the refrigerator for 2 days if needed.

With your crepes you can make lots of sweet or savory dishes, for example:

1. Cheese blintzes

Make filling - Stir together
  11 ounces (1 1/4 c + 2 TBS) whole milk Ricotta cheese
  1/2 c 10x sugar
  1 ounce softened cream cheese
  1/4 tsp salt
Keep in the refrigerator ( up to 2 days) until ready to make blintzes.

Working with 1 crepe at a time, spoon 2 TBS filling onto crepe about 2" from the bottom edge and spread into a 4-inch line.  Fold the bottom edge over the filling, then fold sides over filling and gently roll crepe into a tidy package (like an enchilada or burrito). Repeat with remaining crepes. (Assembled blintzes can be stored in the refrigerator up to 24 hours or frozen up to a month.)

When ready to serve, saute the fresh or frozen blintzes in butter, seam-side down until golden (about 2-3 minutes per side if fresh, 6-9 minutes if frozen).  Serve on plate with raspberry sauce or cherry heated cherry pie filling.

2. Crepe Suzette

Bring fresh OJ, and sugar (and optional Grand Marnier) in large skillet over medium heat.  Add butter 1 TBS at a time whisking until incorporated; stir in salt. Continue to gently simmer until sauce is slightly thickened.

2/3 c fresh orange juice
2/3 c sugar
2 TBS Grand Marnier - optional
6 TBS chiller butter cut into pieces
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Slide crepe into sauce and fold into fourths (looks like a pie slice). Carefully plate the crepes. Pour remaining sauce over the crepes. Figure 2 crepes per serving.  Yum!

Beef Empanada

Print

Prep time

3 hours

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

4 hours

Yield: 1 Dozen

Ingredients

For the Crust

·         8 ounces (2 sticks) butter

·         2-1/2 cups flour

·         3 tablespoons sugar

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         ⅓ cup ice water

For the Meat Filling

·         1 tablespoon oil

·         ½ small onion, peeled and chopped

·         1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

·         ½ pound ground beef

·         ½ cup tomato sauce (or 1 TBS soy sauce)

·         ½ cup water

·         1 small potato, peeled and diced

·         1 carrot, peeled and diced

·         ½ cup frozen sweet peas, thawed

·         ¼ cup raisins

·         2 slices American cheese, cut into small pieces

·         salt and pepper to taste

For the Egg Wash

·         1 egg

·         1 tablespoon milk

·         ⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1.   Divide pie crust into 12 balls. Place each ball between two sheets of parchment paper and with a rolling pin, gently flatten each ball into 5-inch diameter and ¼-inch thickness. Using a round biscuit cutter or an inverted bowl, cut into dough by gently twisting to form circles with smooth edges. Trim excess dough. (NB, a smaller diameter (3") would make an appetizer size.)

2.   On a flat work surface, lay dough circle and spoon about a heaping tablespoon of filling in the middle. Fold the bottom of dough over filling and with fingers, press edges firmly. Using tines of a fork, press on sides of dough to firmly seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. On a lightly greased baking sheet, arrange prepared empanadas in a single layer and brush top with egg wash. Bake in a 375 F oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to slightly cool for about 1 to 2 minutes and remove from baking sheet.

For the Crust

1.   Cut butter into cubes and freeze for about 1 hour. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt and chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

2.   Add butter to flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender or by pinching the fat into the flour mixture with hands. Work them together until resembling coarse cornmeal with pea-like, butter-speckled pieces.

3.   Slowly drizzle water to flour-butter mixture and with hands, mix until just combined. Gently gather dough and press into a ball. If dough is too crumbly and does not hold together, add more water a tablespoon at a time. DO NOT ADD TOO MUCH LIQUID and DO NOT OVERWORK DOUGH. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

For the Filling

1.   In pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent and fragrant. Add ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking to pieces with back of spoon, for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until pink is gone from meat.

2.   Add tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer until meat is fully cooked.

3.   Add potatoes, carrots, green peas and raisins. Continue to cook until vegetables are tender and liquid is reduced. Let cool and add the cheese bits. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (In a colander, drain excess liquid, if needed).

For the Egg Wash

1.   In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and salt.

Serve alone or with Sweet Chili Sauce.