RANDY SHORE

These savoury hand pies from Lee Murphy of Vista D’oro Farms are the perfect two-bite cocktail snack, from the newly released Eating Local in the Fraser Valley. It’s chock full of recipes from B.C.’s finest farmers and artisanal producers. When you make these little treats, try mixing and matching different herbs, cheeses, and preserves. You are limited only by your imagination. SAVOURY POP TARTS

Pastry

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose ■

flour

½ cup (125 mL) finely grated ■ Parmesan, plus extra

1 tsp (5 mL) chopped thyme ■ leaves ½ tsp (2.5 mL) salt

■

½ cup (125 mL) cold unsalted

■ butter

1/4 cup (60 mL) cold vegetable ■ shortening

2 whole eggs

■

1/4 cup (60 mL) ice water

■

2 eggs, beaten with 2 tbsp (30

■ mL) water for the egg wash Filling 1 cup (250 mL) grated gruyere

■ 1 jar (7.8 oz.) Vista D’oro Spiced

■ Apple and Gewürztraminer preserves

1. Combine flour, Parmesan, thyme, and salt. Using a cheese grater, grate in cold butter and shortening and, with your fingers, rub mixture together to create coarse crumbs. Whisk two whole eggs and ice water together and add to the dry ingredients. Stir just to combine. Gather into a ball, knead two to three times only, and press into a flat disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out chilled dough to about ⅛-inch (3-mm) thickness and cut it into 4 × 2 inch 10 x 5 cm) rectangles. Place dough on the prepared baking sheet and brush the edges with egg wash. Place a generous pinch of grated gruyere on one end of each rectangle, top with 1/4 tsp (1 mL) preserves, and fold pastry in half to seal into square pouches, using a fork to press the edges together to seal tightly. Brush egg wash on top of each and sprinkle with a pinch of Parmesan. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Makes 36 tarts