Name: Ghostly Taco Hand Pies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 15 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 450g Lean beef mince, (beef, turkey or chicken); 1 tsp olive oil, for turkey or chicken mince, if needed; 1 tbsp taco seasoning; 60g carrot, finely grated; 60g Bell Pepper, finely chopped; or use baby spinach; 2 sheets Ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, kept chilled until needed; 40g Mexican-style grated cheese; 1 egg, beaten for brushing; 1 tbsp milk, or water, for the egg wash; Salsa, to serve; guacamole, to serve, optional; for dusting Plain Flour

Method

20 mins prep20 mins cook40 mins total

Heat a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and break it up with a wooden spoon. If using turkey or chicken mince, add the olive oil first. Stir in the taco seasoning, grated carrot and chopped pepper, then cook for 5–6 minutes until the mince is browned and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly.
Heat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C fan, and line two large baking trays with baking paper.
Dust the work surface lightly with flour and roll out the pastry sheets if needed. Use a ghost-shaped cutter to cut an even number of shapes, gathering and re-rolling the scraps until the pastry is used.
Place half of the pastry ghosts on the prepared trays. Spoon a modest amount of the taco filling into the centre of each, leaving a clear border, then scatter over a little grated cheese.
Cut small eyes and a mouth from the remaining pastry ghosts using a small round cutter or a sharp knife. Place one face-down ghost over each filled base and press the edges firmly with a fork to seal.
Beat the egg with the milk or water, then brush a thin layer over each pie. Make sure the pastry openings remain clear so steam can escape.
Bake for 10–14 minutes, swapping the trays halfway if needed, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes, then serve with salsa and guacamole for dipping.

Notes

The exact yield depends on the size of the ghost cutter; avoid overfilling so the edges seal cleanly.

Cool leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and reheat in an oven, toaster oven or air fryer to bring back the crisp pastry.

For a pizza version, replace the taco filling with a little pizza sauce, mozzarella and finely chopped pepperoni.