British Beef Pasties

The traditional British hand pie, with beef and vegetables encased in flaky pastry. Serve them with mustard or cheese sauce on the side. Still yummy after all these years!

The name is funny and needs to be pronounced carefully - “past-ees”. The origin of this ancient English meat pie is unclear. And the name perhaps less so, though it is believed to derive from the Medieval French word for “pie” and is most often a round of shortcrust filled with meat, vegetables or cheese folded over the filling and sealed. Also known as hand pies for the convenience of a portable lunch in a pocket, pasties have been mentioned in cookbooks throughout the ages. For example, the earliest version of Le Viandier (Old French) has been dated to around 1300 and contains several pasty recipes.

I had heard of pasties before tasting my first in Bath, England as we strolled about in the denizens of Jane Austen. I had wondered what all the fuss was about, a simple pastry filled with simply seasoned beef, potato and carrots. But on my first sampling I understood! Those lucky British peasants with one wrapped in a simple cloth to eat for lunch. But as I gave it more thought, the early versions were undoubtedly filled with whatever was available which may have been kidneys, sweetbreads or liver and such. No thank you.

The British pasty is another in the march of the meat pies created thru-out the cuisines of the world. The Chinese present their dumplings, South America, the cute braided empanada, the Russians, pierogi, the Arabs, fateyah, the Indians, samosa. Winning combos of bread or pastry filled with meat, cheese or vegetable fillings. I love them all.

But the British version tantalizes my Celtic soul. My daughters are more adventurous than I, as are modern chefs than their ancestors, and the best pasty shop in our area, the Pure Pasty Shop, creates fillings such as chicken masala, and Moroccan lamb but I am either a purist or a luddite, because I prefer the original. So, I embarked on a search to find a recipe that resulted in a replica of the ones I first encountered in England with their flaky crusts and the rich deep flavors of beef, peppery onions, tender carrots and potato - a virtual stew in bread. This recipe comes very close!

British Beef Pastys:

PASTRY:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening (or lard)

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/4 cup cold water

FILLING:

3/4 pound boneless beef sirloin, cut into small cubes

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 medium onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 medium potatoes, peeled & diced

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon dried parsley

½ cup sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1/4 beef broth, or as needed

1 egg slightly beaten

1 tablespoon cream 

-In a large bowl, combine the beef sirloin cubes, Worcestershire sauce, onion, carrots, potatoes, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper, and egg.  Set aside. 

-In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cut in butter and shortening with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in cold water and vinegar with a fork until the mixture is able to come together in a ball. Pat together into a loose ball. Pastry may be refrigerated for later use at this time.

-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Divide dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each quarter of the pastry into a 6-inch circle.

-Place a quarter of the beef-vegetable mixture in the center of prepared pastry, leaving at least 1 inch at each edge, uncovered.  Moisten edges of pastry with water and fold the edges of the pastry in half over the filling, to meet in the center.  Pinch edges together to seal and then crimp the edges, down the center seam.

-Transfer the pastries to a greased baking sheet, and cut a few slits in the top of each one for ventilation.  Brush the outside of the pasties with egg yolk and cream.

-Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Spoon 1 teaspoon of broth into each slit on the tops of the pasties. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve whole, or cut into halves.

Irish Cheddar Dipping Sauce:

16 oz of sharp Irish Cheddar, such as “Dubliner” 4 ounces cream cheese room temp & cubed 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 cloves garlic minced 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 - 2/3 cups of lager beer or ale

-Place cream cheese and cheddar in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic and paprika. Cook and stir over medium heat adding beer a bit at time and stirring until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled as a dip for the pasties.

Mustard Dipping Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons spicy or mild mustard 2 tablespoons minced chives or green onion 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar

-In a small mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. Chill for one hour, stir again and serve with pasties.

Mix butter and shortening into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs.

Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill.

Chop vegetables and grate the cheese for the pasty filling.

Mix filling ingredients together in a large bowl and chill.

Roll dough into rounds and place filling on one side, wet the rim with egg glaze and bring the edges together and press firmly then crimp.

Place the pasties onto a baking tray and brush with egg glaze.

Bake until golden and serve warm or at room temperature with dipping sauces if desired.