You can take my freedom...but you can never take my pasty

They tried to tax these little beauties, but there was descent amongst the ranks and they survived. Pasties, the food of the farmer and the working man. Hold one in your hand to become a citizen with a capital C.

A meal in your hand....in a much better way than the burger ('cause there's loads of veg in it and stop sniggering at the back).

So, here's one boy made earlier:

This particular beauty is lamb and mint. Recipe as follows:



3 carrots (diced)
1 onion (finely chopped)
1 leak (finely chopped)
4 lamb chops (diced)
3 tsp Mint
1 tsp Rosemary
Cumin seeds (one pinch)
Herb Stock pot
2 Potatoes (pealed and chopped)
90g Pancetta (or bacon)
2 tbsp Olive oil

I've left out the pastry recipe as I'm going to do a separate blog on the different types we use. But for the recipe you will need approx 600g of pasty pastry (say that 5 times quick, whilst drunk...standing on your head).

But HOW Kay, I hear you cry? Well, it goes a little something like this......(cue 90s rap montage).

Finely chop the onion and add to a pan of olive oil (2 tbsp) and fry for a couple of mins with the cumin seeds. Add the pancetta and fry until they are golden. Then add the lamb and cook until browned. At this point add leek and fry for a further two mins and then add the potatoes and the carrots to the mixture and stir well.

Next, add the stock pot to 500ml of boiling water and mix this with the rest of the ingredients, including the mint and rosemary and bring to the boil and then simmer until the mixture has thickened (approx 20mins).

Meanwhile roll your pastry to about 5ml thick and cut into 5-7 circles using an upside down bowl that is 15cm in diameter (sorry, there's maths involved here).

Once your mixture has reduced add two spoonfuls (dessert) into the center of your pastry and brush each side with whisked egg and get creative! Fold over the edges and crimp together until sealed and wash the whole pasty with egg. Then place on a baking tray and cook at 180 degrees c or gas mark 6 for 40-50mins.

EAT CITIZEN EAT!