A Pasty Primer

Patrick Burrows does lots of entertaining with pasties, and he’s organized several timesaving methods to make them assembly-line style in large quantities.

The day before a party, he makes the dough and filling, setting out everything he needs on a counter. For the filling, he puts out a pepper mill, a salt shaker, garlic powder, dried parsley, rosemary and thyme, along with a clever tool: paper plates cut in half. He assembles the filling on the paper plate halves--one for each pasty--then stacks the plate halves and wraps them in plastic. This also ensures that Burrows gets an even distribution of ingredients.

The day of the party, he quickly shapes and fills the pasties, then bakes them close to the start of the party so they are as fresh as possible. He again uses an assembly line process for this, setting out a rimmed, parchment paper-lined baking sheet, a flour-dusted pastry board, a pastry brush and small bowl of water, and a stick of butter for dabbing a bit inside the pasty just before it’s sealed.

Pasties may be baked successfully several ways. Freshly made; filled and frozen, then baked; or baked unfilled (airy pasties). All are preferable to pasties that are baked and then frozen. The baking time for frozen pasties is about the same as for the unfrozen ones.

Because pasties are made with short-crust pastry, they are good hot or cold.

And here’s an eating hint from Burrows: While eating a pasty, save the outer double crust and mix it with your favorite fruit preserves for a tasty dessert.

PATRICK BURROWS’ PASTIES

This recipe makes four large (9-inch) pasties, but the dough and filling could also be divided for use in 6 to 8 smaller pasties. Note that this short pastry crust is less “short” and more resilient than pie dough, so it may be handled less gently.

SHORT-CRUST DOUGH

1 cup cold water (ideally, spring water)

2 egg yolks

4 1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup (4 ounces) lard or vegetable shortening

Mix water and egg yolks in small bowl, cover and refrigerate while preparing rest of dough.

Combine flour, powdered sugar and salt in large bowl and blend well.

Divide butter and lard into 4 segments each and lightly toss in flour. With 2 knives or pastry bender, cut butter and lard into dry ingredients until evenly distributed and mixture looks only slightly crumbly. Sprinkle in egg yolk mixture and blend in with table knife. When dough forms into ball, use your hands to knead dough in bowl until smooth. Place dough in plastic bag and refrigerate at least 45 minutes.

PASTY ASSEMBLY

Steak Pasty Filling or other filling of choice

2 to 3 tablespoons butter or 4 to 6 tablespoons beef suet

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

Remove dough from refrigerator and place on flour-dusted pastry board. Cut dough into 4 equal parts. With floured rolling pin, roll each piece of dough in circle little larger than standard dinner plate. Lift dough onto dinner plate with a little dough hanging over edge.

Turn Steak Pasty Filling (assembled on paper plate, as described in accompanying recipe) onto 1/2 of dough circle by sliding 1 hand under paper plate and, with other hand, lifting dinner plate with dough at 45-degree angle. Lay dough with filling back down on dinner plate. Rearrange any filling that did not stay together. Place 1/2 tablespoon butter or tablespoon of beef suet on top of filling.

Using pastry brush dipped in water, moisten outer 1/2-inch of pastry circle. Fold dough in half over filling, pressing edges together to seal. Make teardrop-shaped slit in top center of pastry to vent steam. Finish pasty border by using thumb and forefingers to turn pressed edge over on itself to form double seal or use tines of fork to seal.

Hold 1 hand on top of pasty while turning plate over. Place pasty on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate while you assemble next pasty. Repeat assembly process with remaining dough and filling.

Beat together egg and milk. Brush each pasty with a little egg wash. Bake on middle rack of 425-degree oven 20 minutes. Remove pasties from oven, lower temperature to 350 degrees, brush with egg wash if needed and return to oven until crust is golden and firm, about 40 minutes.

Remove pasties from oven, let juices set 30 minutes, then serve.

Each pasty, with Steak Pasty Filling, contains about:

1,360 calories; 990 mg sodium; 329 mg cholesterol; 66 grams fat; 148 grams carbohydrates; 41 grams protein; 1.82 grams fiber.

STEAK PASTY FILLING

Burrows layers the filling ingredients in a half-moon shape on a thin paper plate cut in half. This allows him to make the filling ahead of time without stuffing the pasties too early. He then assembles the pasties just before baking so the juices from the filling will not soak into the crust before the pasty is cooked. The paper plate method also makes it easy to put the pasties together.

4 boiling potatoes (about 2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch slices

Ground dried parsley

Ground dried rosemary

Ground dried thyme

Garlic powder

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 pound steak, fat removed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Cut 2 to 3 (9-inch) paper plates in 1/2 and round off pointed corners. On each 1/2 plate, layer 1/2 of 1 sliced potato and season to taste with dried parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add layer of 1/2 of 1 onion and season to taste with rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add layer of 1/4 pound cubed steak and season to taste with rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper. For final layer, top with another sliced potato half and season to taste with rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Stack 1 plate of filling on top of another, then cover plates completely with plastic wrap so that whole stack is airtight. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes enough filling for 4 large (9-inch) pasties.

Each serving contains about:

361 calories; 139 mg sodium; 50 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 24 grams protein; 1.44 grams fiber.

AIRY PASTY POCKETS

This pasty, with more butter, is richer than the basic recipe. It is baked hollow, then filled after baking with your choice of stuffing.

1 batch Short-Crust Dough

1/2 cup butter, cut into 16 pats

Filling of choice

Remove Short-Crust Dough from refrigerator and place on flour-dusted pastry board. Cut pastry dough into 4 equal parts. Refrigerate all but 1 portion of dough. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 9-inch circle (use 9-inch upside-down paper plate as guide, if needed). Distribute 4 pats of butter over half of dough circle.

Using pastry brush dipped in water, moisten outer 3/4 inch of pastry circle. Fold dough over buttered half and press edges together to seal. Form double seal by doubling edge over and pressing again. Make small hole in top center of pasty with toothpick to allow steam to escape. (At this point pasties may be individually wrapped in foil and frozen for future use.)

Bake pasties on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper at 400 degrees until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes (slightly longer if they have been frozen).

Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut 1 baked pasty in 1/2 to form 2 pockets. Repeat with remaining pasties. If pasties are cold, warm pasty pockets briefly in warm oven. Spoon filling into pockets and pack down into bottom.

Makes 8 pasty pockets.

Each pocket, without filling, contains about:

590 calories; 532 mg sodium; 144 mg cholesterol; 39 grams fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.19 gram fiber.

VEGETARIAN PASTY FILLING

Pasties were made to be finger food. Try this filling in the Airy Pasty Pockets and eat them as a hand-held sandwich for picnics.

Salt

2 large ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, cubed

1 cucumber, preferably hothouse, sliced

2 cups torn iceberg lettuce

2 cups alfalfa sprouts

1 (4-ounce) can diced mild green chiles

1/4 cup mayonnaise

Freshly ground black pepper

Hot pepper sauce

Lightly salt avocado pieces to taste.

Mix avocados, cucumber, lettuce, sprouts, chiles and mayonnaise together until the mayonnaise is slightly green. Season to taste with black pepper and hot pepper sauce. Divide filling mixture into 8 equal portions.

Makes enough filling for 8 pasty pockets.

Each serving contains about:

123 calories; 69 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.60 grams fiber.