Homemade Pasties

Ingredients:

Prepare the Meat and Vegetable Filling:
- In a pot, combine minced beef, finely chopped carrot, chopped onion, an Oxo cube, salt, and pepper. Add a little water to the pot.
- Cook the mixture until the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender.
Prepare the Potatoes:
- Boil or steam the potatoes until they are soft.
- Mash the potatoes and set them aside.
Combine Meat and Potatoes:
- Once the meat and vegetable mixture is cooked, allow it to cool.
- Mix the mashed potatoes with the cooked meat mixture until everything is well combined.
- Let this filling mixture cook together for a while.

Make the Pastry:
- Prepare a basic shortcrust pastry by mixing self-raising flour, margarine, and a pinch of salt. Use a food processor or your hands to make the pastry.
- Add a little water to bind the pastry together until it forms a dough.
Assemble the Pasties:
- Roll out the pastry and cut out rounds for the pasties. The author suggests using a special mould for this purpose.
- Place approximately 1 1/2 dessert spoons of the meat and potato mixture onto each pastry round.
- Brush the edges of the pastry rounds with milk or beaten egg and press the edges together to seal the pasties.
Glaze and Bake:
- Brush the tops of the pasties with milk or beaten egg to give them a golden finish.
- Preheat the oven to approximately 160°C (fan-assisted) and bake the pasties for about 25 minutes until they are golden brown.
Optional Undercooking:
- The author notes that they undercooked some pasties intentionally so they could be frozen and later reheated to warm through.
Enjoy:
- Serve and enjoy your homemade pasties!