What should I serve with these hand pies?

I like to serve these pies as part of a larger buffet spread when entertaining, alongside other small bites like eggplant bruschetta , shrimp stuffed Hungarian wax peppers and spicy garlic hummus . For a lovely dinner entree, I pair the crawfish pies with a green salad like Mediterranean Tossed salad and homemade crawfish bisque with crawfish cakes .

Can I bake this filling into a full pie shell?

I've seen crawfish pies with just a bottom crust, topped with the filling and baked until golden brown. I've also sampled crawfish pie with both a bottom and top crust, like your favorite giant pot pie. Both are great options here, but depending on the size of your pie dish, you may need to increase the filling recipe by 50 percent to have enough to top off a deep dish pan.

Can I make this filling into mini tart shells?

You can! Just follow the package instructions for baking the tart shells through completely.

I can't find empanada wrappers - what else can I use for the hand pie crust?

Store bought pie crust dough or store bought pizza dough cut into circles (similar to this tuna empanada recipe) would both work. And if you're feeling fancy, homemade empanada dough or pie crust will do the trick, as well.

Can I use other vegetables in this hand pies?

Green bell pepper, celery and yellow onions are considered the holy trinity of Louisiana cuisine, so I'm hesitant to give any alternate options here. These three really do create the very best flavor. If you're cooking for children or grown-ups who think they don't like these vegetables, it might be worth throwing them into the food processor and creating a vegetable paste to fold into the entire mixture. The flavors will be present, but the pesky textural challenges will be cured.

With three different kinds of pepper in this recipe, how do I make sure it's not too spicy?

The cayenne is really the only source of heat in the recipe. The white and black pepper add a little spice, but not a notable heat. And the combination of peppers add a lovely round spice to the dish. So if you're looking for a very mild dish, reduce the cayenne to just a pinch, but I would implore you to keep all three peppers in to be sure you get the very best final product.

Can I use lemon zest instead of orange zest in the filling?

You sure can. I love the balancing flavor that this touch of orange brings to this super savory hand pie - similar to my traditional cajun butter sauce for seafood recipe. But if you're out of oranges and need another citrus option, either lemon or lime zest will be an adequate substitute.

How to store leftover crawfish pie?

To store, transfer hand pies to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for us to 2 days.

How to reheat leftover crawfish pie?

Heat leftover pies in the oven at 350℉ for about 8 minutes, or until just heated through.

Easy Crawfish Hand Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

12 empanada shells

1 egg white (for brushing)

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup green and red bell peppers, diced

1/2 cup celery, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup milk

2 cups crawfish tails

1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (or cajun seasoning)

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Sea salt, to taste

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, prepare the filling. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, green and red bell pepper, celery and garlic, along with a pinch of sea salt. Saute onion and other veggies until tender and fragrant, about 6-7 minutes.
Add the milk and crawfish tails to the pan of veggies and mix gently, giving the seafood a minute to heat through. Add the seasoned breadcrumbs, green onions, parsley, Old Bay Seasoning, orange zest and the ground black, cayenne and white peppers. Let the seasoned crawfish mixture heat through, then taste and add additional salt, pepper or Old Bay, as needed.
Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of crawfish filling into each empanada shell. Fold over and use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges closed. Brush the top of the crust with the beaten egg wash. Sprinkle with a little flaky salt. Transfer the assembled pies to a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan in the oven as needed to achieve a golden brown crust.
After removing from the oven, let the pies sit for 5 minutes before serving. Delicious with spicy aioli sauce or a bottle of hot sauce.

Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 25
Category: Easy Recipes
Method: Oven and Stove Top
Cuisine: American, Cajun