French Onion Soup Hand Pie

Pie Dough

• Cut butter into ½-inch cubes and keep cold in the refrigerator.
• In a large bowl, whisk to combine flour and salt. Add butter, toss to coat in flour, then use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the butter into pea sized pieces.
• Add 6 tablespoons of the cold water mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Bring the dough together with your hands, adding a few more tablespoons of water if still crumbly. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface, divide in half and pat into 2 fat discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Pie Dough

• Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, cover and cook over medium heat, tossing every so often, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deeply golden and very soft, about 45 minutes.
• Add sherry and cook until mixture is mostly dry. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes until combined. Stir in beef stock and cook, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shredded beef, thyme and tarragon. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of pastry dough out to ⅛-inch thick. Use a 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 16 rounds, rerolling scraps as needed. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
• Scoop 1 tablespoon of onion mixture into the center of a pastry round. Top with 1 tablespoons of cheese. Brush outer edge with egg wash, top with another pastry round and gently press to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges and carefully transfer to a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 7 more hand pies. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
• When ready to bake the pies, preheat oven to 400° F.
• Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt. Cut 3 small steam vents in the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until pies are golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet. Serve warm.