Pocket Pasties

For centuries the good people of Cornwall (England) have been filling their famous pasties with almost any ingredients that you would care to think of. The traditional filling is, of course, beef and potato, usually with slices of onion and swede mixed in as well, but the humble pasty can also be found in a number of other guises.  The pasty originally evolved to meet the needs of tin mining.  A hearty meal wrapped in a pastry casing made for a very practical lunch down in the dark and damp tunnels of the mine.

In our home, the pasty maintains a very practical presence as another great dish for disguising leftovers in an appealing manner.  These pocket-sized versions are an invention of my own and are convenient to serve as appetizers, accompaniments to soups and stews, or as a lunchtime substitute for boring, old sandwiches.

Ingredients:
shortcrust pastry
2-3 root vegetables (carrot, parsnip, swede, turnip, etc.), peeled and diced
1 small onion
1 cup pre-cooked chicken, turkey or sausage meat (Vegetarian: sub chickpeas, cannelini beans or black beans)
1 tsp. chicken bouillon (sub veg bouillon for meatless option)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. mixed herbs
dash pepper
1-2 Tbsp plain flour

There are two different "styles" for making pasties.  First, I will show you the traditional method:

Cut a large square shape from the pastry.  I use an upturned tupperware to get a consistent shape.  Spoon filling onto one corner of the pastry square, then fold over, press and seal.  I use a circular cutter to gain a consistent form.  This tool also has a button on top for sealing the pastry, but you can use your fingers if you don't have a similar tool.

Don't forget to cut slits in the top of the pastry to allow the steam to escape during baking.

The other "style":

Cut out pastry in desired shape.  Spoon filling onto one cut-out, then use another to layer on top.  Crimp pastry edges together to seal.  Don't forget to slit the top. 

Regardless of how you choose to assemble your pasties, be sure to gently brush the tops with egg white to ensure a lovely golden pastry case when baked.

Bake in a 400 F (200 C) oven for 20-25 minutes or till pastry is crisp and golden.

Left over shortcrust pastry?  Try a batch of pie crust cookies.