Spicy Beef and Onion Pasties (with Spelt Pastry)
Servings: 4 large pasties
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 340g (2⅚ cup) flour (see note 1)
- 170g (⅔ cup) butter (cold and chopped into small pieces)
- 1 tsp salt
- 6-8 tbsp cold water
Filling:
- 1-2 tbs oil (for frying)
- 700g (25 oz) beef (see note 2)
- 1 small green pepper (chopped)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (see note 3)
- 1 tbsp water
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle chilli powder
- pinch cayenne (adjust to personal taste)
- sea salt and pepper
Instructions
Pastry:
- In a stand mixer, add the flour and salt, then add in the butter (see note 4).
- Work the ingredients together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add 3 tbsp tablespoon of water and work into the dough. Then, gradually add a further half a tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together. Be cautious—it's easy to add too much water, but difficult to correct.
- Form the dough into a ball, place it back in the bowl, cover with cling film, and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Filling:
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook until softened.
- Add the green pepper, followed by the beef. Fry until the meat starts to brown.
- In a small bowl, mix the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, water, and remaining dry ingredients until combined.
- Pour the mixture over the beef, stir to coat evenly, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Set aside to cool.
Assembly:
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Divide the pastry into four (or six) equal portions and roll each into a thin, rough circle.
- Place the filling along the centre of each circle, leaving space around the edges. Be careful not to overfill, as you’ll need to pull both sides up to seal.
- Bring the long sides together and pinch them to seal. You can use a little water if needed, but I found it unnecessary.
- Fold over the edges to create a secure seal. Some juices may escape during baking—this is normal.
- Place the pasties on a well-greased or parchment-lined baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F) and continue baking until the pasties are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm with chips, mashed potatoes, or on their own as a snack—or let them cool completely and eat them cold.
Notes
I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. While I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not tested this recipe with imperial measurements.
- You can use all-purpose (plain) flour or even a ready-blended gluten-free flour. Just follow the same measurements.
- You can use any beef or meat. I blitzed my beef in a food processor to create small chunks, but you could leave it in strips or even use minced (ground) beef.
- If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce, HP sauce makes a good substitute. Alternatively, you can simply omit it.
- I make my pastry in a stand mixer, but you can easily mix it by hand using the "rub-in method."
