Romancing the Stove

A meal lovingly prepared and shared can heighten romance, whether it be a candlelit dinner in front of a roaring fire or a picnic from a wicker hamper. So each month, I’ll share with you a favorite recipe from my collection!

Here in the Midwest, January is a COLD month! So stick-to-your-ribs food is popular. I first sampled a version of this hearty, savory recipe on a trip to England years ago. There, the pasties could be purchased at bakeries and eaten on the run. While I sometimes serve mine as a main course for luncheons, my favorite way to present them is in mini form as part of an appetizer buffet. They’re always the first offering to disappear, especially in winter. No one seems to be able to eat just one!

Cornish Pasties

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup cold butter

7 - 8 tablespoons cold water

¼ pound ground chuck

1 very small potato, peeled and shredded

½ small onion, minced

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

1 egg, slightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

1. Mix flour and 1 teaspoon salt in bowl. Cut in butter thoroughly. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing first with fork, then with hands, until dough forms. Cover and set aside.

2. Mix ground beef, potato, onion, salt, pepper and mustard thoroughly.

3. Divide dough in half. Roll half the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 4-inch rounds. Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling onto half of each round. (For appetizer size, cut with 2 ½-inch rounds and fill with 1 teaspoon filling.) Fold dough over filling, pressing edges together firmly. Crimp edges with tines of fork dipped in flour. Repeat with remaining dough.

4. Place pasties on a lightly greased baking sheet. Make air vents in top by piercing with tines of fork. Brush with beaten egg mixture.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Yield: 12-13 large; 32 appetizer size

Note: Can be frozen. To reheat, let thaw in refrigerator. Place on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.