African Venison Meat Pies with Basbaas Sauce

Preparation

• Add the oil or fat to a skillet over medium high heat. Add the venison and onions and cook for 10 minutes, or until browned, breaking it up into a fine crumble.  
• Add the tomato, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, cilantro, salt, pepper, and Berbere seasoning. Cook for 5 more minutes. 
• Mix the cornstarch and water together into a slurry and add it to the skillet. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the mixture thickens up. Take off the heat and let cool. 
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and turmeric powder. 
• Use a cheese grater to grate in the cold butter, and add small dollops of the duck or bear fat to the flour if using. 
• Mix well with two forks, a pastry cutter, or with your hands, until the fat is well incorporated. Form a well in the center. 
• Whisk the egg and cold water together in a small bowl, then add it to the well in the flour. Gently stir everything together with a wooden spoon until a cohesive dough forms. Try not to overwork it. Add tiny amounts of cold water if necessary to bring the dough together. 
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
• Preheat oven to 400°F. 
• Divide the dough into 6 balls. Drape the used plastic wrap over the balls so they don’t dry out. 
• Flatten and roll a ball into an approximately 6” circle on a lightly floured surface. Spoon 1/6 of the cooled venison mixture onto one side of the circle. Fold the other side over the filling and pinch the edges well to seal. 
• Repeat with the rest of the balls. 
• Whisk the egg yolk in a bowl, then brush it onto the meat pies. Pierce each pie several times with a fork. 
• Bake the pies for 20 minutes, spinning the tray around half way through. 
• Add all of the sauce ingredients to a blender and blend well until smooth. 
• Serve the meat pies hot or cold with the basbaas sauce. Enjoy!