Ingredients

2 onions, peeled, halved & sliced
1 Tbsp light olive oil or coconut oil
2 Tbsp butter

500g lean mince (beef or ostrich)
1 Tbsp light olive oil or coconut oil

1 Tbsp barbeque spice
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp paprika paste (or ½ tsp powder)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp white pepper

100ml water
2 Tbsp brown onion soup powder
freshly ground salt & black pepper

3 Tbsp cream cheese with onion & chives
200g English spinach (baby), chopped

800g frozen ready-rolled puff pastry,
  thawed in fridge
self-raising or cake flour, for dusting
1 egg, beaten

Method

In a large frying pan on a high heat, melt the olive oil & butter, fry the onion until soft & golden brown and with a slotted spoon, remove from the pan into a separate bowl.
In the same pan, stir-fry the mince in 1 Tbsp olive oil with the barbeque spice until browned & free of all lumps.
Add the garlic, paprika, tomato paste & white pepper while continuing to stir-fry.
Cook for 1 min and return the onions to the pan, stir in the water, cover & simmer for 10 mins.

Stir in the soup powder and cook for 5 min.
Add salt & pepper to taste and fold in the spinach, cooking until soft.  Stir in the cream cheese and turn off the heat.

On a floured surface, roll out the pastry and cut out 10 rounds with a side plate.
Egg wash the top side of the pastry rounds and fill their middles with mince mixture.
Fold back the pastry rounds, crimp their edges.  Leave the pies flat or alternatively stand them upright with the crimped edge up.  Egg wash the top of the pies well.

Place the pies on a greased baking tray and bake in the oven for about 30 mins until golden brown, turning the tray around half-way through baking to achieve an even colouring.
Remove from the oven and serve either hot or cold.

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Tip

Roll the dough thin - pies should be more about the filling which should be saucy but not too runny and should completely fill the pastry.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Triple Cooked Chips, beef gravy and a salad.

Variations

Make pies with creamy chicken & mushroom or left-overs such as Ostrich Bobotie, Beef & Lamb Curry, Chicken Curry or Rabbit Potjie.