Lunchbox Pasties Food

ENGLISH PASTIES

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening. Add enough water or milk to moisten dry ingredients. Shape into a ball. Cover and set aside. , For filling, toss together beef, pork, potatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Divide the pastry in half and roll each into a 10-in. circle. Divide the filling over the center of each pastry; dot each with 1/2 tablespoon butter. Fold pastry over the filling, sealing edges tightly. Cut slits in the top of the pasties. If desired, brush tops with egg. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes. Spoon 1 teaspoon water per pastry in slits. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 15 minutes longer or until golden.

PASTIES

Steps:

• For the filling: Add all ingredients for the filling into a large mixing bowl. Push the veggies into the meat until everything is mixed well. All of the veggies should bind together with the meat. If you have any loose veggies hanging out keep mixing and binding. Set aside until ready to build pasties.
• For the crust: In a separate large mixing bowl, add the flour and salt. Combine together, and then add the 2 types of shortening. Break up the shortening while working it in with the flour. You want to have small, pea size pieces of shortening and flour combined yet not over mixed. In a separate bowl, blend the eggs, water, and vinegar. Add to the flour and mix and fold the contents together, gently pushing the flour and liquid mixture until they are together in a large dough consistency. Pick up the mix and continue to turn it over on top of the liquid and just push it down into the liquid not to over mix the dough. Cover the dough and chill it before rolling.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Take a portion of the dough and lay on a floured counter. Roll out the dough to no more than 1/4- inch thickness. Roll out as big of a sheet as you are comfortable with; we use an 8-inch plate and cut out crusts for each pastie. After cutting the crust, work the scraps back into the next sheets. Do this as many times as it takes to use up all the dough. With a consistent thickness you should get about 25 crusts.
• Once you have your crusts rolled out you can begin filling. Lay out your crusts and egg wash half of the inside crust. Lay 1 cup of filling in the center of each crust. Fold in half gently, careful not to tear the dough. After folding, use a fork to crimp the crusts. Place pasties on a lined baking sheet, poke fork holes on top to create air pockets, egg wash the top, and place in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and an internal temperature is reached of 160 degrees F.

COAL MINERS PASTIES

Steps:

• Place the flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the lard in a bowl. Quickly rub the lard into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles small peas. Pour in the ice water, and form into a ball. Add more water if it feels too dry. Divide the dough into 6 balls, and wrap in plastic. Chill one hour.
• In a bowl, combine the meat, turnips, potatoes, onions, remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• Roll out one of the balls on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a cake pan, trace a 9 inch circle in the dough; cut out the circle. Place about 1 1/2 cups of the meat mixture into the middle of the circle. Fold the edges of the circle up to meet along the top of the meat filling, and crimp the dough along the top to seal. Repeat until all dough is used up. With a spatula, transfer the pasties to an ungreased sheet.
• Bake the pasties for 45 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot or at room temperature.

LUNCHBOX PASTIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 240°C Line an oven tray with baking paper.
• Cook sweet potato in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Use a fork to mash until smooth. Set aside to cool in bowl.
• Cook carrot and potato in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
• Add carrot mixture, peas, corn, cheese and 1 egg to sweet potato and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• Use a 12cm-diameter pastry cutter to cut 12 discs from pastry sheets. Spoon vegetable mixture evenly among pastry discs. Brush edges of pastry lightly with remaining egg. Fold pastries in half to enclose filling. Use fingertips to gently press together to seal.
• Place on the lined tray and lightly brush with remaining egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
• Once completely cooled, wrap in baking paper, and store in the fridge ready for the lunchbox.

PESTO CHICKEN PUFF PASTIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
• Dice the chicken into half-inch cubes.
• Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the chicken and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from the heat.
• Roll out the puff pastry sheets and cut each in half (cut the shortest distance through the middle so you are left with two short, fat rectangles not long thin ones).
• Add the pesto sauce and tomatoes to the chicken and stir to mix.
• Spoon equal amounts of the chicken mixture onto the pastry sheets, covering half of each sheet but leaving a gap at the edge to seal the pastry.
• Top the chicken mixture with the grated mozzarella cheese.
• Beat the egg. Brush egg around the inside edge of each pasty then fold the pastry over to seal. Crimp with a fork to reinforce the seal.
• Brush each pasty with the beaten egg.
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes (mine take closer to 20) until the pastry is golden.
• Serve hot and enjoy!