Cheese And Bacon Pasties Makes About 8 Food

MINI CHEESE & ONION PASTIES

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Tip the flour into a bowl. Holding the block of butter in its wrapper, grate it directly into the flour (you may need to dip the end of the butter into the flour occasionally if it becomes sticky). Add the cayenne pepper, mustard powder and half the beaten egg, and season with a pinch of salt. Bring everything together with your hands until the mixture starts to clump together. Tip the pastry onto the work surface and knead very briefly into a smooth ball, adding up to 3 tbsp cold water if it's too dry. Squash the pastry into a disc. Wrap and chill while you make the filling.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions and thyme leaves for 8-10 mins until the onions have softened and started to caramelise. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool. Once cool, mix in the grated cheese, mustard and spring onions.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Roll the chilled pastry out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out as many 10-12cm circles as you can (you can use a cup or mug as a template), then re-roll any off-cuts and repeat. You should get about 10-12 circles in total.
• Spoon a mound of the filling into the centre of each pastry circle, leaving the edges clear. Working with one circle at a time, brush a little of the remaining beaten egg around the edge, then bring two sides up to meet in the middle in a half-moon shape. Pinch the pastry together, crimping the edge to seal. Transfer to the baking tray and repeat with the remaining pastry circles and filling. Brush all the pasties with some beaten egg. Will keep frozen for two months.
• Bake the pasties for 20-25 mins (or 40-45 mins from frozen) until the pastry is deep golden brown. Leave to cool for at least 10 mins before eating warm, or cool completely and pack into containers for a picnic. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

BACON SWISS QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9-in. pie plate with crust; trim and flute edges. Set aside. In a small skillet, saute green onions in butter until tender. , In a large bowl, whisk eggs, cream and juice. Stir in bacon, salt, pepper and green onions. Pour into crust; sprinkle with cheese., Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Freeze option: Securely wrap individual portions of cooled quiche in parchment and foil; freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap quiche; reheat in oven until heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°.

CHEESE AND BACON PASTIES (MAKES ABOUT 8)

Steps:

• for dough.
• Place flour into mixing bowl.
• Add 1 egg and mix it inches.
• Melt butter in microwave and add to mixture.
• Add water gradually until dough is produced.
• Place in the fridge
• For the filling.
• Pre-heat oven to 180°c (350°f).
• Heat oil in pan.
• Cut bacon into small pieces and fry until cooked.
• Beat eggs in a mixing bowl.
• Add bacon and grated cheese.
• Cut dough into 8 equal pieces.
• Roll the dough into pasty sized rounds.
• Place a dessert spoon of filling into each pasty
• With a pastry brush, go round the edge of the round with milk.
• Fold over, sealing the edges by pressing down round the edges with a fork.
• Prick the top of each pasty with a fork.
• Glaze the top of each pasty with milk.
• Use a spatula to place the pasties on a greased baking tin.
• Bake for 30 mins, or until golden.

SPICY CHICKEN & BACON PASTIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/ gas 7. Fry the bacon in a non-stick pan over a medium heat for a few mins, until it starts to release its fat. Add the potato, turn up the heat and fry for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the potato just underdone. Add the chilli and cook for a further min. Season generously with black pepper, plus salt to taste.
• Tip into a bowl and mix with the shredded chicken and spring onions. Unroll the pastry and, with a rolling pin, roll out until it's large enough to cut out 4 circles of pastry, using a large saucer or a side plate as a guide, discarding the trimmings. Lift onto a baking sheet.
• Spoon the filling into the middle of each circle. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little milk, then bring them up to the middle, pinching at the top to make a pasty. Brush with a little milk, then bake for 15 mins or until golden.

PEA & BACON PASTIES

Steps:

• Put the lardons in a large frying pan, cook until crisp, about 8 mins, then drain on kitchen paper. Meanwhile, pour kettle-hot water over the peas and leave to stand for 5 mins, then drain well.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. When the bacon and peas have cooled, combine in a large bowl. Mash lightly to crush the peas and break up the bacon. Stir in the mascarpone, Parmesan, 1 egg and the mint, then season with black pepper.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a 20p coin. Cut circles out using an 12cm cutter. Spoon the filling into the centre of each. Brush the edges with beaten egg and pinch the pastry together on one side to seal. Brush the tops with a little more egg wash and sprinkle each with Parmesan. Place the pasties on 2 floured baking sheets. Bake for 25 mins. Leave to cool, then chill until ready to serve or pack up.

LEEK, CHEESE & POTATO PASTIES

Steps:

• Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 5-8 mins until tender, but still holding their shape. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and thyme and soften for 10-12 mins. Drain potatoes and add to the leeks with the mustard and plenty of seasoning. Stir in the cream and leave to cool a little.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use a side plate or a bowl as a template to cut out 6 x 15cm circles. Mix the cheese with the leek mixture and pile a mound of the mix onto the centre of each pastry circle. Brush around edges with a little egg, then bring edges together and crimp with your fingers to seal.
• Place pasties on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, brush with the remaining egg and bake for 40-45 mins until golden brown. Serve warm or leave to cool.

SAUSAGE, BEAN & CHEESE PASTIES

Steps:

• Prepare the bread mix following pack instructions. While the dough rises, make the filling. Skin the sausages and roll the meat into small meatballs, about 6-8 per sausage. Heat a large deep frying pan and brown the sausages. You may need to do this in batches. Once they're all brown, return them to the pan and pour in the beans. Mix to combine, then allow to cool a little while you roll the dough.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grease 2 or 3 large, flat baking sheets. Divide the dough into 12 and roll out each one to a circle, roughly 17cm in diameter - and keep the remaining balls of dough covered with oiled cling film or a damp tea towel.
• Taking each circle in turn, fill with a scoop of the bean mix and a little of the grated cheese. Fold in half, pressing well to seal. Crimp the edges then transfer to an oiled baking tray. Keep covered with oiled cling film while you make the rest. Brush with a little beaten egg and cook for 15-20 mins until puffed up and golden.
• Remove and allow to cool slightly on a wire rack. Eat warm or at room temperature. If you would like to freeze the pasties, completely cool and freeze in a single layer on a flat tray covered well. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag and seal well.

CHEESE & BACON TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unravel the pastry on the sheet of baking parchment it comes with, and cut into six squares. Mix the soft cheese with the mustard, if using, and a good grinding of black pepper. Divide between the middles of the pastry squares, and smooth over in a diagonal line from one corner to the opposite side.
• Lay a bacon rasher over the soft cheese, then scatter over the cheese. Brush the two exposed corners of pastry with beaten egg, and fold over the top of the filling to join together. Brush the tops with more egg, then slide the baking parchment on to a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese has melted and the pastry is golden.
• Transfer to a cooling rack for 5-10 mins before serving warm. Will keep chilled in an airtight container for two-three days.