Aloo and Veggie Pie

25.2.16 | Recipe by Renz
A handmade pie with a crispy shell, filled with soft seasoned potato or vegetables

Aloo Pies: A delectable small pie filled with seasoned potato or vegetables and deep fried. #HomeMadeZagat

Let's discuss comfort food.

You know those dishes that you smile thinking about it before you even start to eat it? Those dishes that invoke excitement at the thought of eating it.

Today's post focuses on one of those. A set of pies that you do not want to share with your cousin even though you know your mom called her to let her know she's sending her some aloo pies. These potato filled pies with the crunchy outside made your mom the star for the day when she made these. Today I will introduce you to a comfort food for us in Trinidad and Tobago: aloo pies and its cousin veggie pies.

It's been amazing having my mom in town for a couple weeks. As much as I say I am the chief cook and bottle washer here at HomeMadeZagat, she has become my advisor (and long distant stylist). The journey of this blog has made us discuss food so much and highlight fond memories of the foods she cooked while I was growing up.

Aloo pies were one of our favorites.

These can easily be compared to samosas if I need to provide a comparison. It's a dough, that when deep fried, is crunchy on the outside, but when you bite in, you're met with soft, well seasoned mashed potato.

Aloo Pies: A delectable small pie filled with seasoned potato or vegetables and deep fried. #HomeMadeZagat

The joy!!

It's a very popular street food that could be easily found selling alongside boiled corn and corn soup. We made these at home whenever we had leftover potatoes or vegetables that needed to be used up.

Aloo Pies: A delectable small pie filled with seasoned potato or vegetables and deep fried. #HomeMadeZagat

We add a little curry to our potatoes to give it some spice. But I know some people also use cumin. I much rather it being seasoned with the curry. But then again I am a curry monger. You know. that person who would eat curry anything

These pies have a few steps but it's worth it.

Aloo Pies: A delectable small pie filled with seasoned potato or vegetables and deep fried. #HomeMadeZagat

But I assure you once the frying starts you are all ready to jump in and eat these hot.

This is a very popular street food in Trinidad and Tobago. When you get "ah aloo pie" you can then add different condiments to it. We paired it with some pineapple chutney I had made earlier in the week and it was sooo good.

Aloo Pies: A delectable small pie filled with seasoned potato or vegetables and deep fried. #HomeMadeZagat

And the veggies ones, we just replaced the potato with some julienned carrots, christophene, and broccoli. You are free to use any vegetable that will stand up to frying. Zucchini would be a great addition. Stir fry it a little, with as little liquid as possible when adding it to the dough.

And voila!

Aloo Pies: A delectable small pie filled with seasoned potato or vegetables and deep fried. #HomeMadeZagat

My mom returns to Tobago in a few days. I will really miss having her here and us mixing up batches of good food and fond memories. Her hands even starred in this post!!

Go ahead and mix up a batch of my aloo pies, your kids will love you!!


Aloo & Veggie Pie

by Home Made Zagat
Keywords: fry appetizer snack Potato Caribbean
Ingredients
  • 1/2 lb potatoes
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 cup oil for frying
  • 1 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 1 christophene, julienned
Instructions
For dough
Mix flour, 1/2 tsp salt, baking powder and water and lightly knead
Once mixed, cover with damp cloth and leave to relax
Divide dough into balls (I got about 10)
Flatten each ball into about 4" circles
Place potato mixture or vegetables on half of the ball
Moisten edges a little of the ball with water
Fold over and seal well with a fork to form a crescent
Fry in hot oil until golden brown, turn over
Drain on paper towel

For filling
Put potatoes to boil until they are tender
Mash and season with salt, black pepper, garlic and curry
Stir fry vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste
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Aloo Pie: A delectable small pie filled with seasoned potato or vegetables and deep fried.