BRITISH PASTY
Small, half-moon shaped “pies” filled with meat and veggies. It’s an idea that’s spread across all culinary cultures and nearly all four corners of the globe. In Italy they’re called Calzones, Hispanics call then Empanadas, Russians love their Pirozhki, and in don’t visit an Indian restaurant without trying a Samosa. For this recipe, we’re gonna zero in on Jolly old England and our version of a British Pasty. VIDEO: Serio Cooks! – British Pasty
By the way DO NOT google Pasty… the results are definitely NSFW!
INGREDIENTS:
For the filling:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, grated
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons thyme
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
1 cup Frey Organic Red Wine
1 Cup Irish Cheddar
salt and pepper to taste
For the pastry crusty:
1 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt
1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into 16 cubes
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon of milk, for glazing
METHOD:
For the Pastry crust:
Mix the flour and the salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the cubed butter pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Slowly add enough ice water (1/4 cup) to bring the flour/butter mixture together into firm dough.
Place the pastry dough in BPA free plastic bag and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. The longer the better.
While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling.
Heat oil in a large deep skillet to medium heat. Add the ground beef to pan and cook until browned. If meat has released a lot of grease, drain off, cover and allow to cool slightly. Return pan to heat and combine onion and garlic and cook till onions have turned a light brown. Raise the temperature on the pan to medium-high and add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and thyme stirring constantly for about 2 minutes until the tomato paste starts to carmelize on the bottom of the pan. Pour in the Frey Organic Red Wine to deglaze the pan, pour in the beef stock, beef stock and bring to boil. Place ground beef in a food processor and buzz until the meat chopped into very small pieces then add back to the pan. Allow the filling to simmer until the meat sauce is thickened. Cover and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Assembly:
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to about 1/8″ thick. Using a small round plate as a template, cut out 6″ to 8″ circles and place two on a silpat or parchment lined cooking sheet. You don’t want to move these after they’re filled, so fill them on the cooking sheet.
Using a pastry brush, paint the the edges of the circle with the egg/milk wash. Spoon mince meat filling on one half of each circle leaving about an inch around the edge. Cover the meat with cheddar cheese. Fold the pastry over the filling to form a half-moon shape and crimp the edges with your fingers to seal.
Slice a couple small slits in the top of each pasty. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until golden brown and delicious.
Let’s Eat! VIDEO: Serio Cooks! – British Pasty
