The ultimate comfort food and great hot or cold!
Ingredients
- For the pastry:
- 350g (12oz) plain flour
- 10ml (2tsp) mustard powder
- 2.5ml (1/2tsp) salt
- 75g (3oz) butter, chilled and diced
- 75g (3oz) lard or white vegetable fat, chilled and diced
- For the filling:
- 10ml (2tsp) oil
- 350g (12oz) lean sirloin steak, diced
- 100g (4oz) carrots, peeled and diced
- 100g (4oz) swede, peeled and diced
- 1 large leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 15ml (1tbsp) fresh thyme leaves
- Beaten egg, to glaze
Method
To make the pastry, place the flour, mustard powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the diced fats and rub into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Stir in 45-60ml (3-4tbsp) ice-cold water and mix with a knife until the mixture begins to stick together. Gather the mixture with one hand and knead lightly on a floured surface to form a smooth dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
Meanwhile make the filling. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the steak and vegetables over a high heat for 3-4 mins. Cool, then add the thyme leaves and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas 6. Divide the pastry into 6 equal pieces and roll out each to an 18cm (7in) circle.
Divide the filling between the 6 pastry circles and brush around the rim of each circle with water. Bring 2 sides of each circle together over the filling and seal the edge firmly by crimping with your finger and thumb along the length of the join.
Place the pasties on a large greased baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Bake for 30 mins, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4, and bake for a further 20 mins (cover loosely with foil if the pastry begins to overbrown).
