Chef Daniel Holtzman reinvents the retro ’80s dish with an easy basic recipe that can be used three ways.
Amanda Freitag, award-winning chef and Food Network favorite who co-hosts the cooking podcast “On the Line,” appeared on “Good Morning America” on Monday to share fun recipes for hand pies, Hot Pockets, classic frozen drinks and desserts.
Upgrade this ’80s classic from savory Hot Pockets to sweet hand pies
Each recipe below makes 8-10 palm-sized pockets. Use your favorite unsweetened pie crust recipe or store-bought pie crust. One recipe doubled is enough for the top and bottom shells.
Check out the full pastry assembly and baking instructions below for the final sweet filling recipe and use according to your desired filling.
Philadelphia Cheesesteak
material
1/2 pound sliced onions
1 medium red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium hot pepper onions, stems removed and finely chopped
2 teaspoons pepperoncini pickling liquid
1/2 pound thinly sliced ribeye sandwich steak
2 teaspoons of salt
8 slices American or mild provolone cheese (additional when making pockets)
direction
Add the onion, pepper and olive oil to a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown lightly (about 4 minutes).
Add the chili peppers with all their liquid, stirring to remove any browned bits stuck to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the meat, one piece at a time, stirring to prevent the pieces from sticking.
Cook, stirring constantly, until meat is gray-brown and just not dry or leathery (about 3 minutes).
Allow to cool completely.
Creamy Spinach and Artichokes
material
1/2 ounce butter
1/2 ounce flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
1.5 ounces grated Pecorino Romano
8 ounces canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (additional for making pockets)
direction
Melt the butter in a medium 2-quart heavy-bottom saucepan, add the flour and salt, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it smells nutty and begins to brown (be careful; it’s very hot; don’t taste it or dip your fingers in it).
Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Whisk gently, being careful not to burn. The mixture will thicken quite a bit as soon as it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the cheese, artichokes and spinach.
Chill completely in the refrigerator. Serve warm.
Sweet mixed berry pie
material
6 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries
1 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
5 tablespoons cornstarch
A pinch of salt
direction
Combine all ingredients in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced by 1/3, about 10 minutes.
Allow to cool completely before use
Make a pocket
material
Pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water to give the shell a glossy finish
direction
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out puff pastry to 1/8-inch thickness (same as traditional puff pastry), or thaw store-bought dough.
Using a large ring mold or large glass, cut large palm-sized circles out of the dough (cut out dough can be pressed together and re-rolled).
Place 2 to 3 heaped tablespoons of your favorite filling in the center of each circle, then place another circle on top and press all sides together with a fork to seal. Use the fork to poke a few holes in the top to allow steam to escape during cooking.
Place the pies on a baking tray, making sure they don’t stick together. Brush the tops of the pies with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with a little kosher salt if you want it salty or a little sugar if you want it sweet.
Bake until crisp, hot and golden, about 14 minutes.
Orange Lime Julius
“This drink is a temporary masterpiece, so don’t make it until you’re ready to drink it,” Holtzman suggested.
material
6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate (half a container)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (can substitute 2 teaspoons extract)
1 cup ice
Juice of 1/2 lime
direction
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth and foamy (about 2 minutes).
If you want a thicker foam, add 1 tablespoon egg white or 2 tablespoons egg white powder before mixing.
For a different flavor profile, frozen lemonade concentrate or limeade concentrate can be substituted.
Add some ripe, in-season strawberries to make a strawberry creamsicle.
Frozen Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding Swirl Pops
material
chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (can substitute with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
direction
Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, stirring until melted and smooth.
material
vanilla
chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup condensed milk
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla paste (can substitute with 4 teaspoons vanilla extract)
direction
Combine everything in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly, about 8 minutes.
Fill your favorite popsicle containers with swirls or layers of chocolate and vanilla pudding mixture and freeze until firm, about 6 hours.
GMA Kitchen Recommendations
