The sun is setting on August and September is softly strolling into view. Cross that bridge with these classic UK seaside/picnic treats, perfect for alfresco dining… or munching in a cosy kitchen!
Ingredients (makes 4 large pasties)
350g beef skirt or rump steak
350g waxy potatoes (eg. Maris Piper)
200g swede
175g onions
500g ready made, all butter shortcrust pastry
Extra butter for the filling
1 beaten egg to seal/glaze
To serve: chutney, of course!
Method
Peel the potatoes, swede and onions and cut into 1cm square cubes. Cut the beef into similarly-sized chunks, put all four ingredients into a bowl, season generously and stir thoroughly to combine. Set to one side.
Preheat the oven to 170c/gas mark 3 and lightly grease a baking tray with butter.
Meanwhile, roll the pastry out to around the thickness of a £1 coin and use a suitably-sized dinner plate to cut out 4 circular discs each approx. 25cm wide.
Spoon a quarter of the filling onto one half of each disc and spread to cover, leaving a margin around the edges. Put a knob of butter on top of each filling then carefully fold the pastry over to cover. Brush the exposed edges with a little beaten egg and either use a fork or crimp to create a strong seal, folding the end corners underneath to finish the job off.
Put the pasties onto the baking tray, brush the top of each pasty with a little more beaten egg and sprinkle with salt.
Bake the pasties on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. If the pasties aren’t browning, slightly increase the oven temperature for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
Serve warm accompanied by chutney of your choice.