Traditional English Beef & Potato Picnic Pies - Pasties

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb potato, peeled, diced & boiled
• 2 -3 tablespoons milk
• 2 ounces butter
• salt & pepper
• 1 lb minced beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled & diced finely
• 1 -2 garlic clove, peeled & crushed- (optional)
• 15 ounces canned tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 pint beef stock, made with a stock cube
• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree (optional)
• black pepper
• 2 (9 ounce) packets puff pastry
• flour
• butter, for greasing
• 1 eggs, beaten well or 1 milk
• sea salt

Recipe

• 1 first peel and cut your potatoes into even size chunks & then boil for about 15-20 minutes or until very tender, but not too mushy.
• 2 drain the potatoes and add the milk, butter, salt & pepper to taste.
• 3 mash very well with a potato masher or using a hand-held mixer.
• 4 mash/mix until there are no lumps left.
• 5 the mashed potato should be smooth but fairly firm and not too soft.
• 6 heat up the oil in a large roomy pan and add the diced onions. add the garlic if using with the onions.
• 7 cook the onions for about 15-20 minutes, until soft and golden.
• 8 remove the onions and set to one side in a large mixing bowl.
• 9 add the minced beef, adding a bit more oil if necessary. stir the minced beef all the time to break down any lumps. cook for about 15 - 20 minutes until cooked & brown all the way through.
• 10 add the tinned tomatoes, soy sauce, herbs, tomato puree if using and a good twist of freshly ground black pepper. mix together thoroughly.
• 11 continue to simmer and add the beef stock - stirring all the time for a further 5 minutes.
• 12 take off the heat and add the beef mixture to the onions.
• 13 mix them together thoroughly & then add the mashed potatoes - mix again well.
• 14 allow to cool slightly.
• 15 pre-heat the oven to 220c, 425f or gas mark 7.
• 16 grease 6 x 5" pie tins or 1 x 9" ovenproof pie plate.
• 17 sprinkle some flour onto a board and roll out the ready-made puff pastry.
• 18 taking a saucer or a large cookie cutter, cut out six x bottoms for the pie tins, just slightly larger than the tins. (invert the pie plate & cut around it for a plate pie.).
• 19 put the pastry bottoms into the buttered tins (or on to the buttered plate) and fill generously with the beef and potato pie filling.
• 20 cut out the lid/s and moisten the edges of the bottom pastry case with water; then place the lid/s on top - making sure they reach right up to the edge.
• 21 crimp the edges of the pastry with a fork or your fingers to make a seal.
• 22 cut two slits on top of the pies with a knife or scissors.
• 23 glaze with the beaten egg (or milk) and sprinkle some sea salt.
• 24 bake in the pre-heated oven for 25- 30 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.
• 25 serve warm or cold with pickles, chutneys and assorted salads.
• 26 ideal for picnics, snacks, light lunches & brunch.
• 27 freezer:.
• 28 to freeze them, pack them with greaseproof paper between each pie in a freezer container. defrost for at least 6 hours. can be frozen before the final baking or after being baked. to cook when unbaked, defrost them & then follow the directions above.