Award winning Berkshire Pasties

Since hearing about Cornish Pasties being awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status I've wanted to have a go at making my own. I got the recipe for the pastry from the Cornish Pasty Association website although I used butter instead of 'cake margarine'. After leaving the pastry to rest for three hours as recommended  it was pliable and easy to work with, and robust -  the pasties survived being wrapped in tin foil and transported to the radio studio in my rucksack.

Instead of the Cornish version of beef, potato, swede and onion I used pork, leek and potato. I was aiming for a Berkshire Pasty but when I thought about it I realised that apart from being made in Berkshire they only Royal County ingredient was the flour (Dove's Farm). I don't think I'll be getting PGI status but they were good so here is the recipe for the filling.

450 gms diced pork From Dews Meadow Farm  (Reading Farmers Market) Oxfordshire

450 gms potato  Tolhurst Organic Produce veg bag - Oxfordshire

200 gms leek (2 med leeks) Tolhurst Organic Produce veg bag - Oxfordshire

Salt & pepper to taste

Teaspoon Dijon mustard mixed into the meat

butter 

Chop the pork, leek and potato finely, I used the food processor for the meat so was almost mince,  then add to rolled out circles of pastry. Layer the vegetables and meat adding plenty of seasoning. Put a knob of butter on top. Then bring the pastry around and crimp together. Cook at 210/Gas mark 6 approx 50 min-1 hour (Fan oven 165 for  45 minutes)

 

This amount made five BIG pasties and they were good hot and cold.

I should just explain about the award. See the Difference were running a competition last week to highlight their project to feed school children in Malawi. You had a chance to win some boxes of cereal if you sent them a photo of your lunch. I sent a photo of my pasty and won a prize!