Val's Cheese and Onion Pasties
Val Stones first appeared on our screens on the Great British Bake Off in 2016, she recently returned in one of the two Bake Off Christmas Specials. Val loves to bake at home and spends almost everyday baking for friends and family and also raises lots of money for charity by baking delicious cakes and treats. Last year Val also walked the Great Wall of China with a group of friends, all raising money for different charities. Val has kindly provided us with a mouth-watering recipe for her Cheese and Onion Pasties for you to try at home.
This pastie recipe works well if you make them small, medium or large. Small ones are perfect as little appetisers, the medium size are just right for a snack. If you make large ones they do well for packed lunches, picnics or a meal. We are not vegetarian in our family but we do have at least 3 meat free days each week, these little pasties are a weekly treat. In this recipe I’ve used a Magimix food processor however you can rub the butter in by hand and add the liquid then binding the mixture with a knife.
Cheese and Onion Pasties
The ingredients should make 12 pasties (medium size)
Ingredients for the pastry
- 300g plain flour plus extra for rolling out
- 150g slightly softened butter cut into small cubes
- 4g fine sea salt
- Pinch of sugar
- 1 medium egg
- 45ml ice cold water
Method
- Break the egg into the water and lightly beat in until combined.
- Place the flour, butter and salt in the bowl of the processor.
- Process for 20 seconds adding most of the egg and water.
- Switch the processor off as soon as the dough forms a ball.
- Shape the pastry into a round and flatten slightly, wrap in cling film and place in - the fridge to chill for one hour.
- Remove from the fridge 10 minutes before rolling out to allow to soften slightly.
Filling
- 300g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
- 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic, put through a garlic press
- 200g of strong cheddar cheese
- 100g Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 level teaspoon dried mustard powder
- A pinch of cayenne pepper or a little more to suit your taste
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons double cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Peel and cube the potatoes, place them in a pan of water with a pinch of salt and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Take them off the heat and pour into a colander quickly place under cold running water to stop the potatoes cooking further, leave to drain and cool.
- Place the oil in the frying pan and allow to heat up.
- Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic, add to the oil, and cook gently but do not allow to colour. When the onions are translucent take them off the heat and allow to cool a little.
- Whilst the onions are cooling, finely chop the parsley and thyme.
- Grate all of the cheese.
- Place the potatoes and onion mixture in a bowl, add the cheese, herbs, mustard, cayenne pepper and stir well.
- Add the cream and combine all the ingredients fully.
- Add pepper to taste but only a little salt as the cheese contains salt.
To glaze the Pasties
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 teaspoons of water
- A few grains of salt
Separate the egg and place the yolk in a small dish, add the few grains of salt and the water and combine with a pastry brush (the salt helps to break down the protein in the yolk to slacken the mixture).
What you will need
- 2 baking sheets
- 14cm plain pastry cutter
- A frying pan
- A roll of Cling film
- Set the oven for fan assisted 200C, 220F conventional, gas 7 and place the 2 -baking sheets in the oven to heat them up.
To assemble the Pasties
Lightly roll out the pastry to a thickness of a pound coin. Cut out rounds of pastry.
Roll the leftover pastry and cut out more until you have 12 rounds.
With a pastry brush dampen around the edge of a round of pastry.
Place a desert spoon of cheese mixture down the middle of a round of pastry, then lift two opposite edges up and squeeze them together to begin forming the pastie, continue to squeeze the edges until the cheese mixture is completely enclosed in the pastie.
To form the wavy edges on the pastie place your thumb and your index finger on one side of the pastry rim and with the index finger of your other hand push the pastry between the opposite fingers, continue down the length of the pastie.
Repeat this until all the pasties are completed and brush each pastie with the egg wash.
Take the heated baking sheet out of the oven and place the pasties on the sheet leaving a little distance between each one to allow the pastry to rise.
Place the tray in the oven and do the same with the second heated baking sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes, the pastry should be golden and the bases should also be lightly golden.
Lift carefully onto a cooling rack, or serve them straight away.
The pasties can be eaten on their own or with a salad and a few chips or fries. When the pasties are cool store in the fridge in an airtight tin for up to 5 days or you can place them in the freezer where they will keep for a month.
