Step 1

Panfry the bacon in a large saute pan or dutch oven over medium high heat. Once the fat is rendered and the bacon just crispy but not overcooked, remove from the pan and let drain on paper towels. Remove all but one tablespoon bacon fat from the pan.

Step 2

Sauté the diced carrots, shallots, and celery in the bacon fat. Let cook for 3-5 minutes, until tender, and then toss in the minced beef and cook until just browned, another 3-5 minutes. Carefully drain the excess fat from the pan and return to the stove over medium heat.

Step 3

Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up any burnt bits on the bottom of the pan, and let cook for 2 minutes more. Add the fresh herbs, dried cherries, and beef broth to the mixture and stir to combine. Cook until the liquids have reduced significantly, 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, chop up the bacon you set aside earlier.

Step 4

Remove the pan from heat, stir in the chopped bacon, and allow the mixture to come to room temperature. If making ahead, transfer the beef mixture to a sealed container and chill for 10 minutes up to overnight until needed.

Step 5

Heat the oven to 400°F and prepare your muffin tins. Spritz the inside of each cavity with non-stick cooking spray and dust with flour. Set the muffin tins aside, away from the preheating oven so that they stay room temperature.

Step 6

On a clean, lightly floured surface, work with the pie dough in batches, keeping unused portions in the fridge to keep cold. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Using a cookie cutter or stencil, cut out 6-inch circles from the dough and press them gently into each muffin cup – You should use about two-thirds of the dough for the bottom crusts. The circles don’t have to be perfect, but you should have at least a quarter inch of dough overlapping the tops (a little more if you do not plan to make separate top crusts for the pies).

Step 7

Sprinkle the bottom of each crust with a pinch of cheddar cheese, followed by about 1/4 cup filling so that it comes nearly to the top of the pastry. Top with another sprinkling of shredded cheese. Repeat until you run out of filling.

Step 8

For simple pleated pies: Gently fold the dough of the bottom crust up and over the filling, “pleating” the dough into little folds at the top. The dough should nearly cover the entire top of the pie, allowing a little “vent” in the very center for steam to escape while cooking.

Step 9

For tiny double crusted pies: Roll out the remaining third of the pie dough to the same thickness as the bottom crusts. Cut out 3-inch circles with a cookie cutter (or stencil). Set the pastry lids out on a tray or baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and cut hashmarks in the centers to allow for steam to vent while cooking. Working one at a time, place each circle of dough over the filling of each pie. Crimp the edges of the pie over the lid, sealing them tightly.

Step 10

Once fully assembled, whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. Brush this over the tops of each hand pie. Sprinkle with a pinch of black sesame seeds and flaky sea salt.

Step 11

Bake the hand pies for 15-20 minutes, until the tops are golden and the dough appears cooked through. Remove from the oven, and let them sit for 8-10 minutes before gently removing them from the muffin tins. Serve warm, or follow instructions below for cooling and storage.