Aside from the pastry (you can use ready made if you like) these are very straightforward, and you can pop them in the oven while cooking dinner to make a satisfying lunch the following day. Use whatever vegetables you fancy – leeks, squash, mushrooms all create great variations. Root veg like sweet potato, parsnip, jerusalem artichokes, celeriac or carrots work really well.
Ingredients
shortcrust or puff pastry (if making at home, allow a at least half an hour for it to chill in the fridge)
250g potatoes
1 swede
1 onion, finely sliced or grated
handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon thyme leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon of veg stock powder or yeast extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
50g cheddar cheese (optional)
1 beaten egg or milk to glaze
30g butter
Shortcrust pastry
300g strong white flour
175g very cold butter
salt
cold water (about 150ml)
Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt.
Grate the butter into flour and rub it in lightly.
Gradually add water until the mixture comes together into a dough. Take care to avoid over-kneading it.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to three hours.
Rough puff pastry
300g strong white flour
170 g butter (500g cut into cubes, chilled and 120g frozen)
salt
cold water
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl (no need to sieve). Rub the chilled butter in until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs. Gradually add water until it comes together into a dough. Take care to avoid over-kneading it.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to three hours.
Filling and baking the pasties
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel the swede and potato then dice them into pieces no larger than 5mm.
Add the vegetable stock powder or yeast extract (if this feels too thick, add a little water) and mix.
While you melt the butter, add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix again. Then add the butter and give it one last stir.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick. Cut into circles approximately 20cm in diameter.
Spoon the filling out onto one half of each circle. Lightly brush the edge of one half of the pastry with water then fold the other half over the filling, squeezing the edges firmly together. Use your index finger and thumb to twist the edges of the pastry over. Once you’ve crimped along the edge, tuck the corners underneath.
Brush the pasties with the egg or milk. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown then turn the heat down to 160°C and cook for another 20 minutes. Eat hot or cold.
