Guyanese Cheese Pie

For the Pastry:

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Add flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix.

3. Add shortening and butter to the flour and mix until the mixture is coarse with pebbles of butter and shortening.

4. Add 3 tablespoons of water and pulse until the dough starts to come together. If it's too dry and crumbly, add a little more water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Do not over mix.

5. Transfer the mixture to a clean work surface and bring the dough together in one mass. Pat ​into shape and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6. When you're ready to make the pies, remove dough from refrigerator and rest for 5 minutes before starting to work with it.

For the Filling:

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Add eggs, milk, salt, and pepper to a large measuring cup (for easy pouring) and mix together.

For Assembling:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly brush two (12-cup) muffin pans with oil and set aside.

2. Flour work surface and roll dough into 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 4-inch cutter or a bowl that has a round 4-inch diameter, cut as many circles as you can.

3. Place each circle of pastry into a muffin cup and gently press the dough into the cup. Gather up the scraps of the pastry into one mass and roll and cut again until the pans are filled. Refrigerate the pans for 10 minutes.

4. Remove the chilled pans and fill each muffin cup with cheese.
   

5. Whisk the egg mixture as it might have settled and then pour a little of the custard into each muffin cup, just shy of the top of the pastry.

6. Bake pies in the oven until golden and delicately browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool pies in the pan on a wire rack for 5 to 6 minutes, then remove the pies and continue to cool them on the wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature.