Squash & Sage Hand Pies

Flaky hand pies filled with roasted butternut squash, brown butter, and fried sage — a portable taste of October.

These hand pies were built with the harvest table in mind — squash that's just come in from the garden, roasted until the edges caramelize, then mashed with brown butter and crisp fried sage before being tucked into a buttery, flaky crust. Unlike a full pie, they're sized for one hand, which makes them the thing to pack for a hike along the river or to grab on the way out the door on a cold morning. The filling is deliberately not too sweet — this is closer to a savory hand pie than a dessert, though a drizzle of maple glaze on top wouldn't be out of place if you want to lean sweeter.

Ingredients

• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 sheets store-bought or homemade pie dough
• 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the squash cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast on a baking sheet for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized.
2. While the squash roasts, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp. Remove the sage and set aside, leaving the browned butter in the pan.
3. Mash the roasted squash with the brown butter and Parmesan until mostly smooth, with a little texture remaining. Crumble in the fried sage. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Roll out the pie dough and cut into 8 rounds, about 5 inches across.
5. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling onto one half of each round, leaving a border. Fold the dough over and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
6. Brush each hand pie with egg wash and cut a small slit in the top for steam to escape.
7. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden. Cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.