Beef pasties

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. If using shop-bought pastry, take it out of the fridge to reach room temperature while you prepare the vegetables and meat.

• step 2

  Peel and roughly chop the potatoes, onion and swede into ¼cm cubes. Trim the beef of any fat or sinew, then cut into small strips and chunks. Season well and divide both the meat and vegetables into six equally sized portions.

• step 3

  Roll the pastry into a log and cut into six equal pieces. Knead and lightly stretch or roll each piece into 20cm-wide circles. Layer on the beef and veg, slightly to one side. Keep harder textures like swede in the middle, followed by potato then beef towards the edges. This will prevent anything piercing the dough when crimping.

• step 4

  Add two knobs of the butter per pasty and a light sprinkling of flour to thicken the gravy inside and prevent soggy bottoms. Lightly wet your fingertips and dampen the edges of each pasty, then gently fold one end over the filling to enclose it. Keeping your fingers slightly damp, crimp the edges.

• step 5

  Put the pasties on a baking tray covered with a sheet of baking parchment, then cut two small slits into the top of each. Brush with beaten egg and cook for 10-15 mins. When starting to brown, turn the oven down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and cook for further 45 mins until golden. Leave to cool for at least 10 mins before serving.