Beef pasties

• shortcrust pastry↗2 x 320g packs shortcrust or

  or 640g homemade pastry

• white potatoes↗250g g
• onion↗1
• turnip↗250g g
• beef↗250g g
• butter↗40g g
• plain flour↗

  for dusting

• egg↗1

  beaten

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C with convection/gas 6. If using ready-made pastry, remove it from the fridge to reach room temperature while you prepare the vegetables and meat.

2. 2

   Peel and coarsely dice the potatoes, onion and turnip into cubes about ¼ cm. Trim the beef of excess fat and sinew, then cut it into strips and pieces. Season well and divide the meat and vegetables into six equal portions.

3. 3

   Roll the pastry into a log and cut it into six equal pieces. Knead and gently stretch or roll each piece into circles 20 cm in diameter. Place the beef and vegetables, shifting them slightly to one side. Place the harder ingredients like turnip in the centre, then the potatoes, and the beef nearer the edges. This prevents the pastry from tearing when forming the edges.

4. 4

   Add two small pieces of butter to each pasty and a light dusting of flour to thicken the sauce inside and prevent soggy bottoms. Slightly moisten your fingertips and wet the edges of each pasty, then carefully fold one side over the filling to seal it. Keep your fingers slightly damp to shape the edges.

5. 5

   Arrange the pasties on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, then make two small slits on top of each. Brush with beaten egg and bake for 10–15 minutes. When they start to brown, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/160°C with convection/gas 4 and bake for another 45 minutes until golden. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.