Turkey and all the trimmings pasties
Many moons ago, I won the Cornish Pasty technical challenge on ‘The Great British Bake Off’, writes Miranda Gore Browne. I love a traditional pasty, but at Christmas I do like to go a bit rogue and use my Christmas lunch leftovers to make these golden parcels of deliciousness. There’s nothing better to warm your cockles than one of these in your pocket, tempting you on a cold winter’s walk. We have tested them vigorously and can vouch for them being probably the most warming and revitalising treat after a freezing cold winter sea swim! Serves 6-8
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 750g strong bread flour
- 235g cold hard butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 240ml cold water
For the filling: - 400g cooked turkey
- 300g roast potatoes
- Pigs in blankets
- Cooked carrots
- Cooked parsnips
- Cooked sprouts
- 100g cooked pork stuffing
- 4 tbsp thick gravy
- 3 tbsp cranberry sauce
- 1 egg, beaten with a fork to brush on before baking
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- To make the pastry: Use your fingertips or the blade of a food processor to rub the butter into the flour and salt, until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
- Beat the egg yolk into the water with a fork and add to the flour and butter mixture, stir and then knead well. This dough needs to be kneaded for at least 5 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook or for about 8-10 minutes by hand.
- Wrap the dough tightly in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for a couple of hours.
- Cut the dough into 8 similar sized pieces. Use a rolling pin and a little flour to roll each ball of dough into a rough circle. Place a side plate on the dough and cut around the edge with a sharp knife to make circles.
- For the filling: Chop the turkey, pigs in blankets, pork stuffing and cooked vegetables (your choice of how much and which veg) into small pieces and put them into a bowl. Mix in the gravy and cranberry sauce.
- Generously spoon the filling onto one half of each of the pastry circles. Carefully fold the pastry over the filling to make a semi-circle. Use your finger and thumb to crimp the edges together.
- Carefully lift each pasty onto a flat or low-sided baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Brush well with plenty of beaten egg.
- Put into the middle of the hot oven to bake for 30-35 minutes.