Best English Meat Pasties Recipes

BRITISH MEAT PIES

Steps:

• Brown 1/2 pound sausage in a skillet with 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1 each diced celery stalk and carrot. Add 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, and salt and pepper. Roll out a can of refrigerated biscuit dough and cut into twelve 3-inch rounds. Top each with a spoonful of meat filling and fold in half; pinch to seal and brush with a beaten egg. Make slits in the top and bake at 350 degrees F until golden, about 15 minutes.

AUTHENTIC CORNISH PASTIES

Steps:

• To Make the Shortcrust Pastry: Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times until combined. Add the cold butter and lard and pulse a few more times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water a little at a time, pulsing between additions, until the mixture begins to come together. DO NOT over-mix the dough or the pastry crust will be tough and won't be flaky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before using (this is crucial). (Can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 3 months.)
• To Make the Cornish Pasties: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Cut it into 6 equal pieces (rolling the dough into a log and then cutting makes this easier). Wrap and keep the other 5 pieces chilled in the fridge while you're working on one at a time. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a 8 inch circle that's about 1/8 inch thick. You can use an 8-inch plate as your guide and cut the dough around it to form your circle.
• Layer the filling (see note at end): Put layer of potatoes down the center of the pastry circle, leaving about 3/4 inch space on the top and bottom edges of the pastry dough. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next add a layer of rutabagas, onions and finally the beef, adding a light sprinkling of salt and pepper between each layer. Lay a couple pats of butter on top of the beef and sprinkle a little flour over the filling.
• Wet the tips of your fingers and lightly moisten the edges of the pastry dough. For this next part work gently so that the filling doesn't puncture through the dough. If this happens, patch up the hole with some of the scrap pieces of pastry dough. Bring the sides up and seal the pasty down the middle. Turn the pasty onto its side and crimp the edges in traditional Cornish fashion (see blog post pictures as a visual).
• Assemble the remaining pasties and lay them on a lined baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut a slit in the center of each pasty. Lightly brush each pasty with the beaten egg mixture.
• Bake the Cornish pasties on the middle rack for 40-50 minutes until golden in color. Remove from the oven and let them sit for about 10 minutes (they will be very hot inside) before eating. They can be reheated in the oven (recommended for a crispier crust) or microwave. NOTE: Depending on how full you stuff the pasties you may have leftover filling. No worries, just fry it up together or add it to soup and enjoy it as a separate meal.

BEEF PASTIES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. If using shop-bought pastry, take it out of the fridge to reach room temperature while you prepare the vegetables and meat.
• Peel and roughly chop the potatoes, onion and swede into ¼cm cubes. Trim the beef of any fat or sinew, then cut into small strips and chunks. Season well and divide both the meat and vegetables into six equally sized portions.
• Roll the pastry into a log and cut into six equal pieces. Knead and lightly stretch or roll each piece into 20cm-wide circles. Layer on the beef and veg, slightly to one side. Keep harder textures like swede in the middle, followed by potato then beef towards the edges. This will prevent anything piercing the dough when crimping.
• Add two knobs of the butter per pasty and a light sprinkling of flour to thicken the gravy inside and prevent soggy bottoms. Lightly wet your fingertips and dampen the edges of each pasty, then gently fold one end over the filling to enclose it. Keeping your fingers slightly damp, crimp the edges.
• Put the pasties on a baking tray covered with a sheet of baking parchment, then cut two small slits into the top of each. Brush with beaten egg and cook for 10-15 mins. When starting to brown, turn the oven down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and cook for further 45 mins until golden. Leave to cool for at least 10 mins before serving.

BEEF PASTIES

Steps:

• For the filling: In a bowl, blend the bacon, beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, peas, garlic, salt, pepper, ginger and nutmeg, mixing well, ensuring not to break the peas. Hold cold until construction.
• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Portion the pastry in 8 triangles, allowing the dough to soften. Next, brush the interior of the dough with egg wash. Fill with 2 to 3 ounces of filling. Bring the tip of the triangle to the edge to fold the sides and seal the pasties. Press the sides down to seal and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

BEEF PASTIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 9 ingredients; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a fourth of the dough into an 8-in. circle. Mound 1 cup filling on half of circle. Moisten edges with water; fold crust over filling and press the edges with a fork to seal. , Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cut slits in top of each; brush with cream. Bake at 450° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH BEEF & POTATO PICNIC PIES - PASTIES

Steps:

• First peel and cut your potatoes into even size chunks & then boil for about 15-20 minutes or until very tender, but not too mushy.
• Drain the potatoes and add the milk, butter, salt & pepper to taste.
• Mash very well with a potato masher or using a hand-held mixer.
• Mash/mix until there are no lumps left.
• The mashed potato should be smooth but fairly firm and not too soft.
• Heat up the oil in a large roomy pan and add the diced onions. Add the garlic if using with the onions.
• Cook the onions for about 15-20 minutes, until soft and golden.
• Remove the onions and set to one side in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the minced beef, adding a bit more oil if necessary. Stir the minced beef all the time to break down any lumps. Cook for about 15 - 20 minutes until cooked & brown all the way through.
• Add the tinned tomatoes, soy sauce, herbs, tomato puree if using and a good twist of freshly ground black pepper. Mix together thoroughly.
• Continue to simmer and add the beef stock - stirring all the time for a further 5 minutes.
• Take off the heat and add the beef mixture to the onions.
• Mix them together thoroughly & then add the mashed potatoes - mix again well.
• Allow to cool slightly.
• Pre-heat the oven to 220C, 425F or gas mark 7.
• Grease 6 x 5" pie tins OR 1 x 9" ovenproof pie plate.
• Sprinkle some flour onto a board and roll out the ready-made puff pastry.
• Taking a saucer or a large cookie cutter, cut out six x bottoms for the pie tins, just slightly larger than the tins. (Invert the pie plate & cut around it for a plate pie.).
• Put the pastry bottoms into the buttered tins (or on to the buttered plate) and fill generously with the beef and potato pie filling.
• Cut out the lid/s and moisten the edges of the bottom pastry case with water; then place the lid/s on top - making sure they reach right up to the edge.
• Crimp the edges of the pastry with a fork or your fingers to make a seal.
• Cut two slits on top of the pies with a knife or scissors.
• Glaze with the beaten egg (or milk) and sprinkle some sea salt.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25- 30 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.
• Serve warm or cold with pickles, chutneys and assorted salads.
• Ideal for picnics, snacks, light lunches & brunch.
• Freezer:.
• To freeze them, pack them with greaseproof paper between each pie in a freezer container. Defrost for at least 6 hours. Can be frozen before the final baking or after being baked. To cook when unbaked, defrost them & then follow the directions above.

GREAT GRANDMA JOHNS' PASTIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cut in butter with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in cold water with a fork until the mixture is able to come together in a ball. Knead a couple of times then divide pastry into two pieces. Pastry may be refrigerated for later use at this time.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half of the pastry into a 10-inch circle.
• Place half of the potato slices in a line down the center of each circle, leaving at least 1 inch at each end uncovered. Arrange onion slices over the potatoes, and season with salt, pepper and some of the dried parsley. Place half of the beef cubes over each onion layer, then season again with salt, pepper and dried parsley. Fold the edges over the pastry over the filling, and tuck in the ends.
• Transfer the two pastries to a greased baking sheet, and cut a few slits in the top of each one for ventilation.
• Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spoon 1 teaspoon of water into each slit on the tops of the pasties. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve whole, or cut into halves.