People all over the world like the idea of a hand pie, from British pasties to Latin American empanadas to Haitian beef burgers. Most of the time, meat is used as the filling, and the dough is wrapped around it and cooked. In the same way, these Scottish hand pies, which are called Forfar bridies in the area, are filled with beef and onions and have a simple, home-cooked taste that will make you want a second or even a third pie.

They are from Forfar in Angus, which is a couple of hours north of Edinburgh. No one knows the full story behind their strange name. Buy empanada discs in the freezer area of the grocery store. They are the best way to wrap the dough for these little pies. And make sure you get the ones that are made just for baking for the best taste and structure.

Since they are made for frying and baking, the discs made for cooking won’t be as delicate and will get a little tough. If you want to make the whole thing from scratch, you can also use our cookie dough shortcrust recipe. The filling is pretty basic, but you can always add more if you want to. To keep the pies from leaking in the oven, make sure the sides are well-crimped.

Also, don’t use completely flat cookie sheets like I did. Instead, use a baking pan with a bit of a lip around the edge. That way, if something does leak, it won’t end up on the oven floor and cause a lot of smoke. You can dip these Forfar bridie hand pies in mustard, ketchup, or even BBQ sauce. You could also eat them plain with mashed potatoes on the side. You can’t beat the taste of these hearty little pies when they are made at home.