Cornish pasties

Cornish pasties

serves 6

ingredients

175g/6oz rump steak, finely chopped

1 potato, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons beef stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 egg, lightly beaten

For the pastry butter for greasing 275g/10oz plain flour pinch of salt 100g/4oz butter, cubed

4–5 tablespoons iced water

•Lightly grease a medium baking tray.

•To make the pastry, sift the flour and pinch of salt into a large bowl, and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and add almost all the water. Mix together with a flat-bladed knife or spatula, using a cutting action, until the mixture comes together in small beads, adding more water if the dough is too dry. Turn out onto a floured work surface, and form into a ball. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

•Preheat the oven to 210°C/425°F/Gas mark 7. Mix together the steak, potato, onion, carrot, Worcestershire sauce and stock in a bowl, and season well with salt and pepper.

•Divide the dough into six portions. Roll out each portion to 3mm/1⁄8in thick. Using a 16cm/61⁄2in plate as a guide, cut out six circles. Divide the filling evenly between the circles. Brush the edges with the egg and bring the pastry together to form a semicircle. Pinch the edges into a frill.

•Put the pasties on the prepared baking tray. Brush with the beaten egg, and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/ 350°F/Gas mark 4, and cook for a further 25–30 minutes until golden. Serve hot or cold.

Prawn pies

serves 4

ingredients

225g/8oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

100g/4oz butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing

1 tablespoon dried vegetable oil 5cm/2in piece of fresh root

ginger, grated

3 garlic cloves, crushed

900g/2lb raw prawns, peeled and deveined

75ml/3fl oz sweet chilli sauce 75ml/3fl oz lime juice 75ml/3fl oz double cream 25g/1oz fresh coriander, chopped 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

•Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well, add 3 tablespoons water and mix with a flat-bladed knife, using a cutting action, until the mixture comes together in beads. Gather the dough together and lift out on to a lightly floured surface. Press into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap in cling film and chill for 15 minutes.

•Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Grease two baking trays with butter.

•Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and sauté the ginger, garlic and prawns for 3 minutes. Remove the prawns and set aside. Add the chilli sauce, lime juice and cream to the pan, and simmer over a medium heat until the sauce has reduced by a third. Return the prawns to the pan and add the coriander. Stir through, then leave to cool.

•Divide the pastry into four, and roll out each portion, between sheets of baking parchment, into a 20cm/8in circle. Divide the filling into four, and place a portion in the centre of each pastry, leaving a wide border. Fold the edges loosely over the filling, and slide the pies onto the prepared baking trays. Brush the pastry with the egg yolk. Bake for

25 minutes or until golden. Serve hot.

Continental flan

serves 4

ingredients

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/

50g/2oz butter, plus extra

400°F/Gas mark 6. Grease a large

for greasing

baking dish with butter.

4 slices white bread

• Butter the bread, remove the crusts

2 eggs, beaten

and cut into quarters diagonally.

100g/4oz Cheddar cheese,

Line the sides of the baking dish grated

with the bread, overlapping slightly.

50ml/2fl oz milk

• In a large bowl, mix together the

50g/2oz onion, finely chopped

eggs, cheese, milk, onion, pepper

50g/2oz green pepper, seeded

and mustard. Season with salt and

and finely chopped

pepper, and pour over the bread.

1⁄2 teaspoon mustard powder

• Cook in the oven for 20–25

salt and ground black pepper

minutes. Serve either hot or cold.

Beef & cabbage pie

serves 6

ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

butter for greasing

175g/6oz cabbage, shredded

200g/7oz potatoes, shredded

100g/4oz canned chopped green

200g/7oz Cheddar cheese,

chillies, drained

grated

125ml/4fl oz taco sauce

450g/1lb minced beef

salt and ground black pepper

•Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 23cm/9in pie plate with butter.

•Combine the potatoes with half the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

•In a large frying pan, brown the beef in the oil and drain. Add the cabbage and sauté until crisp. Remove from the heat and add the chillies and taco sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the crust, and bake for a further 20 minutes.

•Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and continue baking until the cheese melts. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Game pie

serves 6

ingredients

225g/8oz onions, sliced 1 teaspoon butter

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 675g/11⁄2lb game meat, off the

bone, diced

plain flour for sprinkling

11⁄2 teaspoons vegetable oil

225g/8oz streaky bacon, diced 1 bay leaf

150ml/5fl oz chicken stock 150ml/5fl oz red wine 225g/8oz button mushrooms 350g/12oz puff pastry

1 egg, beaten.

•Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

•Sauté the onions lightly in the butter until golden. Add the garlic and sauté for a further 1 minute. Sprinkle the game meat with flour, and brown gently in the oil.

•Stew the meat slowly in a large covered saucepan with the bacon, onions, garlic, bay leaf, stock and wine. Just before the meat is done, add the mushrooms. Continue cooking until tender. Allow to cool.

•Line a small pie dish with the puff pastry, leaving enough to make a lid. Fill with the meat mixture, cover with pastry and seal the edges. Brush with the egg. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.