Cornish Miners' Pasties

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (turkey or venison)
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 1 cup diced turnip
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6-8 tablespoons butter
• 6-8 tablespoons water (see ** description)
• 2 tablespoons milk (more or less)

• 1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup (or leftover beef or chicken gravy)

• 1/2 (10 ounce) can milk
• thyme, to taste
• tarragon, to taste

Directions

1. 1

   Prepare pastry according to Recipe #230316 , set aside; preheat oven to 350.

2. 2

   Mix meat, vegetables and salt in large bowl; divide into 6-8 portions; set aside.

3. 3

   Divide pastry into 6 (large) or 8 (medium) equal pieces; roll each into a large circle, about 1/4-inch thick.

4. 4

   On one half of each circle, place equal amount of meat-veg mixture.

5. 5

   Carefully lift and fold pastry over filling (half circle); moisten edges of pastry with water & pastry brush; use a fork to crimp the edges to prevent liquid (added later) from oozing out. If there is a thin edge of crust, fold it over on itself to make a nice crust.

6. 6

   Transfer each pasty to a large baking sheet (I use two).

7. 7

   With a paring knife, poke a hole straight into JUST the top crust, shaped like an X, each leg should be about a half-inch long, then fold the little corners back (like a flower).

8. 8

   Melt butter and water in the microwave; pour equal amounts into each pasty (through the little flower-hole you've created in the previous step).

9. 9

   More butter-water can be added about half-way through the baking, if you didn't use it all at this point.

10. 10

    Brush tops of pasties with the milk.

11. 11

    Pop it all into the oven; bake for one hour; tops should be GOLDEN BROWN (you won't be able to let them in there much longer anyway--as the aroma is BEYOND this world!).

12. 12

    Serve with gravy made from the soup & a bit of milk; add your favorite herbs (thyme & tarragon are our favorites); just heat the soup & milk, sprinkle in the herbs & spoon over the pasty or into the little hole.

13. 13

    ALSO -- you might want to let these "rest" for a few minutes before eating---the insides will be VERY hot!

14. 14

    TIPS ON EATING THESE: Miners would've carried these in a lunch pail (wrapped in a dishtowel!) -- we serve 'em on plates and slather on the gravy AFTER cutting them open to release the steam & heat; the crust is especially delish with the gravy!