Pepperoni Pizza Pockets

1. Stage

Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Stage

Roll and cut out the dough: Roll out your pie crust on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 1/8-inch thick. If you are using store-bought crust, make sure it’s thawed before unrolling it. Use a 6-inch round to cut circles out of the pie crust. (I use a 6-inch tortilla as a guide for mine; a pot lid of same size would work, too.) You should get 3 hand pies out of each pie crust, but you will probably have to re-roll the crust to get the last few. Place the pie crust rounds on the baking sheet.

3. Stage

Fill the pizza pockets: The key to hand pies like these is to not overfill them while making sure they have enough filling to feel substantial. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of pizza sauce, followed by 2 tablespoons grated mozzarella (you can eyeball it), followed by 1 tablespoon diced pepperoni and a sprinkle of fresh basil to each circle of pie dough. Be sure to leave a 1/2-inch border around the fillings to make sealing easier.

4. Stage

Seal the pizza pockets: Brush a light coating of egg wash around the edges of the hand pie and fold it over. Seal the hand pie completely, either by pressing on the edge with a fork or by crimping the edge between your fingers. Poke a few holes in each hand pie with a fork, so steam can escape.

5. Stage

Bake the hand pies: Brush the hand pies with egg wash, and bake them for 20 minutes until the pie crust is golden brown. Some of the filling might be bubbling out of the pies, but that’s okay. Let the pies cool briefly before serving. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheated in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Also, these pizza pockets can be assembled in advance and stored in the fridge until you need to bake them. They freeze best once they are baked and have cooled. Reheat from frozen in a 325°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until warmed through.