Pasty for Patty

Today is my Mom's birthday...Happy Birthday, Ma! Another year has gone by and she continues to amaze me with her grace, strength, and generosity. She is truly beautiful, in every sense of the word, and I am very lucky to have her as my best friend and Mother.

Since we could not be together to celebrate today, I decided to do a few things that reminded me of her. I tried all morning to find tickets to a boy band concert and four screaming pre-teen girls to take to it, but that didn't pan out like I'd hoped. Just because she heroically managed it, doesn't mean I could.

I stuck to smaller reminders like a walk in the park past some of her favorite trees...

Painted my nails so that they did not look "a fright", as she would say...

...and finally, my favorite part. I made pasties! No no, not the small patches of fabric that one may find in various, *ahem*, gentlemen's clubs. How disturbing if that was something that me and my Mother liked to to together. Yeesh. Ok, moving on.

A pasty is a traditional British dish, usually associated with the area of Cornwall. It is a pastry filled with one's choice of meat, vegetables, and butter...lots of butter. I like to think of it as sort of a British version of a calzone. They are pretty wonderful. My Grandmother learned to make them when she lived in the upper peninsula of Michigan and my Mom carried on the tradition for occasions like New Years Day, Superbowl Sunday, Flag Day, the second Tuesday of each month...basically any excuse we had to make pasties, she made them.

As much as I love the traditional butter-oozing variety, I have developed my own version that is a bit friendlier to the figure. Not that I can talk. I have consumed a number of pies and roasts since my arrival in London that would scare a competitive eater. Good thing this is the healthy version!

If you would like to make one large pasty, or two smaller ones, you will need:

1 sheet of store-bought frozen pie crust (called shortcrust sheets here)
1lb extra-lean (<5% fat) ground sirloin
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1.5 cups chopped vegetable mixture of choice (I used carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, and peas)
3 sprigs chopped fresh thyme
3 sprigs chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Basically, all of this...

Mix everything together (minus the pastry sheet) in a large bowl.

I came out with waaay too much filling, so I made two pasties. 4th meal, anyone?

Roll out the pastry sheet on a floured surface or a piece of parchment. Pile on a good handful (about a cup) of the filling on one side of the dough. You could easily make your own pie crust from scratch for this. I haven't mastered one yet, and until I do, store-bought is my hero.

Fold the other end of dough over the top of the filling and pinch the edges closed like you would a pie crust. Make a few slits in the top of the dough.

Pop it into an oven set to 350 deg F or 175 deg C. Wait with bated breath.

After 30 minutes, increase the temperature to 425 deg F (220 deg C) for an additional 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. I usually stick a fork in one of the slits and test a carrot for softness.

Is it ready NOW??

Yes, it is ready now, Otis.

I believe that a traditional pasty is served with a gravy. You could probably choose your favorite gravy and it would be fantastic. My family has always eaten them with...get ready for it...ketchup. Actually quite good, so don't knock it til' you try it. Michael and I ate our pasties with an arugula salad topped with zucchini and roasted tomatoes. Again, trying to make it a bit healthier.

There you have it, a Pasty for Patty! I hope you had a wonderful birthday, Mom. I miss you and love you with all of my heart. See you soon.