A couple of weeks I ago, I was at the Americana in Glendale, getting my snack on at the Sahale Snacks Flavor Experience, when my nose led me to their scent wall. Never one to pass up a fun quiz or challenge, I had already taken the quiz to find my personal snacking flavor (Pomegranate Vanilla Cashews, one of my favs!) and decided to see what my nose knows – c’mon I couldn’t pass that pun, now could I?
So anyway, the scent wall consisted of a variety of their delicious snack mixes in nondescript jars, the object was to guess the variety based on smell alone. As a Sahale Ambassador, I had an unfair advantage for getting the answers correct but still, the olfactory delight persisted nonetheless.
Honestly though, what it really did was make me hungry as the delicious exotic aromas filled my nostrils. Have you ever spent so much time breathing in a smell, that it was stuck with you all day? As I arrived home, the intermingled scents of sweet and spicy, fruity and tart still lingered sparking a craving that just wouldn’t go away.
Perusing the contents of my Sahale snack stash (yep, that red bin in the cupboard) for a quick munch, I started pulling items out of the pantry and before I knew it I was working on a little recipe. See, I’m not really a big sweets person. I have no problem passing by a cupcake or cookie, but place a pie in front of me and chances are there won’t even be a crumb left to tell the tale.
As I was thinking of pies, I ended up grabbing one of my favorite nut mixes, Mango Tango. It’s near heaven in a snack blend with its mix of whole almonds and peanuts with the sweet, tart chewiness of lime-infused mango and a kick of chipotle chili. It’s a mix that takes me back to my travels in Asia where the cuisine is often a mixture of spicy, sweet and nutty, which is exactly what Sahale Snacks are all about – going Beyond the Ordinary and inciting personal and passionate reactions to their scent and taste.
Wanting to play on the ingredients in the mix, I decided to pair it with fresh mangos for the pie filling. Like most of my previous Sahale Inspired recipes, it all just came together from there. Mango Mini Pies.
Ingredients
1 package of your favorite Sahale nuts. I choose the Mango Tango for this recipe to pair the sweet fresh mango with the spicy kick of this Sahale nut mix.
About 3-4 perfectly ripe fresh mangos, if out of season you could also use frozen mango that you let thaw.
1 box of pre-made pasty or pie crust (I used pie crust)
Optional, a drizzle of pure maple syrup to top the tiny pies.
Directions
Allow the pie crust to warm a bit and then roll out just a little.
Use a cookie cutter to fit as many circles (or whatever shape you choose), you’ll want to have an even number for tops and bottoms. (The amount this recipe makes depends on the pie crust and size of the cookie cutters).
Remove the mango from the peel and pit, then slice thinly. Place the mango in the center of half the circles leaving enough room around the edges to seal it closed.
Add as many pieces of the nut mix as you like to each mango half then top with the other pastry piece.
Seal it closed with you fingers or a fork. Place the pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. The actual bake time will depend on the size of the pies and oven temperature.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before enjoying.
The great thing about this recipe is that you can substitute with almost any of the Sahale Snack combinations and fresh fruit but a few favorites are:
- Raspberry Crumble Cashews Mix: A unique take on mom’s raspberry crumble with the mellow smoothness of sliced bananas and a crunchy, buttery cashew and peanut topping.
- Berry Macaroon Almond Mix: Inspired by a love for macaroon cookies, a combination of lightly toasted coconut, crunchy almonds and cashews balanced by whole sweet blueberries and a touch of tangy lemon.
- Honey Almonds Glazed Mix: Whole almonds and cranberries accented by toasted sesame seeds, sea salt and honey.
- Pomegranate Vanilla Flavored Cashews Glazed Mix: A sublime flavor combination: whole roasted cashews, pomegranate infused apples, and pure ground Madagascar vanilla bean.
- Classic Fruit + Nut Trail Mix: Dried apples and cranberries, mixed with roasted almonds, cashews and pistachios for a perfect crunchy-chewy balance.
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