Savoury Pasties

I love making pasties, I will get round to sharing my traditional Cornish pasty recipe soon. Pasties are cheap and tasty, they are great for packed lunches. The tradition of the humble pasty is an interesting one, In Cornwall the thick crust was for the tin miners to hold and throw away (their hands were covered in poisonous tin deposits)  The pasties had both a sweet and meaty filling - the meat on one side, sweet on the other.  

I  used a bread mix for the pasty - that might seem odd but i got the idea from the Hairy Bikers. I was very sceptical but not only is it lower in fat, the "pastry" is very nice indeed.
You could also use short crust, puff or rough puff pastry too..

Savoury Minced Beef Pasty
This is very cheap to make, using  a small amount of a few ingredients, you can use the cheapest mince for this if needs be, the condiments you use add lots of flavour. This savoury one can work just as well with veggie mince. I have added lentils to the mixture. Lentils are not only a great source of fibre and iron, they also bulk out meals. 

Spoon usage 2/3
Kitchen Skill - novice to some skill
cost £2 - 33p per pasty (20p per small)
Makes 6 medium  or 10 small

Gadgets
food processor (if you have one)
Mixing bowl
Rolling pin

Tips/Adapting
If the pastry is too difficult to make by hand (it requires some dexterity) use pre rolled pastry either short crust or puff
Make pastry in a food processor if you have one
If chopping is too much then grate the veg - works just as well

Ingredients
Filling
100g mince beef or veggie mince
1 medium carrot
1 onion or small leek
1 medium potato
2 handful of red lentils* (optional just use more veg)
handful of frozen peas
1/2 pint boiling water
1 beef stock cube  - use veggie stock cube if making veggie version
good dash worcestershire sauce  (use hendersons relish for veggie alternative)
1 tsp ketchup
1tsp brown sauce
Salt & pepper

Pastry
250 packet bread mix
150 Ml hand hot water
(that's half a packet of a small bread mix)

Prep
dice or grate the:
carrots
potato
onion or leek
make beef stock - dissolve stock cube in the boiling water
heat the over to 190C or gas mark 5

Rest

Filling
1. brown the mince - if you have used a cheaper mince drain off the juices and excess fat

2.add onions or leeks, cook on a medium heat until the onion is translucent, season with salt & pepper

3. add the worcestershire sauce, ketchup & brown sauce to the beef stock and stir well, pour on to the meat

4. add the carrot, potatoes and peas and lentils

5. cook on a low heat (you want it to be just bubbling) until the lentils are plump - you may need to add more liquid.

6 leave to go cold

Rest - if you are too tired at this point, put the filling in the fridge will be fine over night

Pastry
1.make the dough according to the packet mix and follow instructions - up to baking
  Or make what ever pastry you fancy, or use the pre made stuff.

2.roll out the dough until its 2-3 mill thick - use a small plate to cut out a circle - repeat until
  you have 6.

3. spoon the mixture into the centre of the circle, use a little but of mil to wet the edge nearest you.

4.  fold over the back edge towards you and using a fork press along the edge to seal them. I use a Cornish
    pasty crimp action but using the fork is fine.

5. brush the pastry with milk or an egg wash 

5. place in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes.

Store Cupboard/Bottom of the fridge Soup

The basis of this soup is Minestrone - a quick but hearty soup. I named it "bottom of the fridge" soup years ago, when it was made with what ever ingredients I had knocking about at the end of the week.

Note:
I have typed up the recipe with a spoonie in mind see this page (Skill level & Spoon Usage)
If you dont have to pace activities then ignore all the tips, hints and alternatives and just follow the recipe straight through

Cooking skill - Novice
Spoon Usage- 2 spoons (takes about half hour with a rest)
Total cost £2.00 approximately (as i used up stuff i had) so 50p per portion 

Serves 4 adults 

Ingredients - I used
1 Tin chopped tomatoes (use 1Lb fresh if you have them)
1.5 (ish) Litres fresh chicken stock - make equivalent with a stock cube if you don't have fresh stock
1 onion
small handful of long spaghetti broken into short lengths 
2 - 3 handfuls frozen mixed veg carrots and peas (use 1 large fresh carrot if you have one)
1 small courgette
half small cabbage - prefferably savoy, kale will do just aswell
25G (2 handfuls) soup mix - red lentils, pearl barley
2 cloves garlic
Dried basil
grated hard cheese

The beauty of this recipe is other than the tomatoes and stock you can pretty much put any veg in it - hence its name store cupboard/Bottom of the fridge Soup

Gadgets - Utensils - this recipe requires a level of dexterity or electric chopper
You replace whole veg for fresh or frozen pre-cut veg
Large Pan
sharp knife or electric food chopper
garlic press
chopping board

Prep - 5 minutes
Chop the onion - can roughly chop if you prefer chunky soup
dice the carrot
chop the courgette - decent sized chunks 
shred cabbage
peel and chop garlic - or have it ready for squishing in the press
open can of tomatoes
Make the stock if you don't have fresh
  
Rest - I sat down for 10 mins (but take as long as you need, just pop the prepped veg in the fridge)

Cooking 

1. Heat the pan for a few minutes - add a small amount of oil or water, add the onions and lower the heat. you want to soften them but not brown them too much.

2. once the onions are soft (see through|) add the:
carrots
courgettes
garlic
Peas

Give it a good stir and cook on a low heat

sweat down the veg for 2-3 minutes

3. Add the:
    Tomatoes
    Stock 
    * pearl barley, red lentils or dried scotch broth mix (optional)
    Season to taste with salt and pepper
    Pinch of basil
    Add a dollop of tomatoes puree - about a dessert spoon
    Spaghetti broken into small pieces about 2" long 

turn up the heat and bring to the boil, once boiling turn down to a fast simmer (so its not boiling madly but still bubbling) cook for 10 minutes - until the lentils and pearl barley are plump

Hubble bubble

While the soup bubbles - REST

4. stir the soup and add the cabbage - taste and add  more seasoning if you think its needs it  - leave the soup of cook for a further 5 minutes - can leave it for 10 if you prefer your cabbage well cooked and soft. and yes Sit down and pop your feet up

5.- Turn off the soup and serve

6. you can add grated cheese, some fresh basil or croutons if you fancy it

Finished soup

Please let me know if you enjoyed it, and if writing the recipe out in this way was helpful.