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Irish Pasties

Refrigerate leftover baked pasties and reheat them the next day in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. Irish Pasties (makes 4 main course pies) Cubed round or any other cut of beef works well in pasties.  Slice up the potatoes (I used some fingerlings which I had on hand the day I made these), chop up some onion, add pinches of salt and pepper and a little butter for moisture.  My mother uses beef suet, but it can sometimes be difficult to find.  Butter is a good substitute and provides a little moisture as well.  Always use raw ingredients in the filling so that the whole pasty bakes together for the best flavor.
Course Beef, Main Course

Ingredients

Pie Dough

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter very cold, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 1 tsp salt preferably kosher
  • 7-9 tbsp ice water

Pasty Filling

  • 4 inch medium potatoes sliced about 1/8 thick
  • 2 cups beef round trimmed, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter or beef suet

Instructions

Pie Dough

  • Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Add the cold butter pieces and work it in with your hands by pinching the butter and breaking it apart.  Continue this until you still have some larger pieces of butter and the rest of the flour looks like meal.  (Many people say you’re looking for pea-sized butter.  That works too.)
  • Add the ice water in 3-4 parts, using a spoon or dinner fork to cut through the crust mixture several times.  After about the first 6 tablespoons of water, add 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough starts to hold together.  This is a critical point!  The dough will still look like a shaggy mass (very technical term).  Test the dough by squeezing it with your hand.  If it holds together, it’s ready.  If not, add a little more water until it holds with a squeeze.  Don’t worry if you need a few extra tablespoons of water.
  • Gather the dough together and gently divide it into four pieces.  Pat out each piece into 1-inch thick disks.  Wrap each disk in plastic and chill the dough while you prepare the pasty filling.

Pasty Filling

  • Roll out 1 piece of the pie dough to about dinner plate size (10 inches).  Mound 1/4 of the potatoes, beef, and onion on one side of the pie dough leaving a good 1 inch or more edge.  Dot the filling with 1/2 tablespoon butter.  Fold over the dough and pinch the two edges to seal it.  Repeat these steps to make 3 more pasties.  Place the pasties on a baking sheet about one inch apart.  Brush the tops with milk or cream.
  • Bake the pasties at 375°F oven for about one hour.  Don’t cut vents in the top.  Leaving the pasty closed holds in some of the steam and assist in cooking and keeping the filling tender.

Notes

Serve with beef gravy.
 
August 2011