English Pastry

Ingredients for short crust pastry:
4 cups flour
1 cup either margarine or butter or a combination of these
pinch of salt
cold water to mix

DIRECTIONS:

Rub the butter or margarine into the flour but not too finely. I sometimes cut the fat into small lumps. Add the salt and then start adding the water gradually until it works together into a ball without being sticky. Put aside in a cool place.

Ingredients for filling
3/4 lb beef, not stewing beef
raw potato
raw swede (also known as rutabaga or yellow/swedish turnip)
small onion
salt and pepper
a walnut sized piece of butter

DIRECTIONS:

Cut the steak into small pieces but do not mince. Slice potato and swede into thin, small pieces about half an inch across. Chop onion finely. Dust the work surface with flour. Roll out the pastry to about 1/4 inch thickness. Using a small plate cut out circles. Moisten the edge with milk or water and support half of the pastry nearest to you over the rolling pin. On the other half, put a small layer of prepared vegetables then a layer of beef. Repeat this once but be careful not to have too much filling which would cause the pastry to burst during the cooking process. Sprinkle sparingly with salt and pepper then add a small bit of the butter. Sprinkle a dusting of flour over the filling (this helps to make the gravy). Fold the other half of pastry which has been resting on the rolling pin over the filling and squeeze the half circle edges firmly together. Starting at the right side whilst supporting the left side with other hand, using first finger and thumb turn the edge over to form a crimp. Repeat this process all along the edge. This will come with practice but you must get a good seal. Brush pasty with beaten egg wash to help with browning process and put a small one inch cut in the centre of the top to allow steam to escape. Bake in a hot oven 420 F for about 20 minutes then reduce temperature to 320 F for a further 40 minutes. Smaller pasties need less time. If they are browning too quickly cover loosely with greased paper.