Choose a lid!

You could choose any of the pastry ideas covered in the Bring on the pies series but then I remembered that back in June 2019 I wrote about Cornish Pasties – if you're interested check out the Food History and Pasties labels where you'll get chapter and verse and a photo-guide too.

It was a voyage of discovery, hence this addition to the “lid” list.

For those who are used to making pastry, no matter how basic, what follows will seem an odd method. I promise you it works. Not only does it work I'd say it's the best result I've ever had.

Pasty pastry

This recipe will give you four eight inch (21cms) pasties

450g/1lb strong white bread flour

large pinch of salt

100g/4oz of margarine

100g/4oz lard

175ml/3^rd pint water

cling film

Place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add 25g/1oz of lard and rub into the flour. Grate or slice the rest of the fats into the bowl and stir, using a round bladed knife. Pour all the water into the bowl and mix together with the knife. Keep the dough in the bowl and using your hand bring the dough together and knead using the heel of your hand. Tip the dough onto a sheet of cling film and use the film to bring the dough together in a fat circle. Wrap the dough twice in cling film, bag and fridge. Chill it for at least 30 minutes.

Before we go any further I can hear you - LARD! - what is she thinking. You don't have to use lard, for me and other vegetarians out there, use either Trex or Cookeen – panic over! The lard is part of the original recipe. I used unsalted butter instead of the margarine.

It doesn't matter if you fridge it to chill for 30 minutes and, surprise surprise, you get distracted and remember two hours later. It does not affect the end result.

A tip – the recipe gives you four pasties from the batch of pastry. When you're ready to roll (sorry!) cut the pastry into four equal portions. At this stage you can please yourself – make two pasties and then wrap the remaining two separately in cling film, bag and freeze for another day.

Take the frozen pastry out of the freezer the night before you want it and fridge it.

It behaves impeccably – just as if freshly made.

I realise the recipe given is for individual pasties – just another option instead of a family sized pie. If you want a full size pastry lid for your RVP then use half the quantity and freeze the other for another day – plan ahead!

A final word on the RVP - there is a plan “b” if you don't want to do the extra veggie prep. You can buy casserole packs of veggies – usually around 1kg which would be perfect if you wanted a fast fix.

Now choose a sauce!