Tag: European
Cornish Pasties
Cornish Pasties
To be a true Cornish pasty, they must meet the following requirements: The pasty has to be made in Cornwall. They can only contain beef, potato, rutabaga, onion, salt and pepper. No other meat, no other vegetables, no other seasonings. The ingredients must be raw when the pasties are assembled and then slowly baked to produce the traditional Cornish pasty flavor and texture. The edges of the pasties must be sealed by crimping them in traditional Cornish fashion.While I have failed with not living in Cornwall, England, the crimping, and the addition of beef gravy; the taste is 100% there. I’ve been making pasties for over 30 years since I was a child, and do consider myself an expert in this field. They do take a bit of work to make, but are well worth the effort. Any leftover pasties can be frozen and reheated in the oven.
Equipment
- food processor
- rolling pin
- pasty press
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 lb sirloin tip, top round, or top sirloin trimmed; cut into 1/4” cubes
- 1 lb potatoes peeled; cut into 1/4” cubes
- 8 oz rutabaga cut into 1/4” cubes
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- unsalted butter diced into cubes
- 1 large egg beaten
- beef gravy for serving
Pasty Dough
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 oz butter chilled; diced
- 4 oz lard chilled
- 2/3 cup ice water
Instructions
- Mix together the beef, potatoes, rutabaga, onion, flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Add the flour, salt, cold butter, and cold lard to a food processor. Pulse a few times until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Slowly add in the ice water. Pulse until incorporated.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface. Cut into 4 equal pieces.
- Roll a dough portion to an 1/8” thick.
- Lay the rolled dough over the patty press. Scoop a cup’s worth of filling into the center. Add a tbsp of diced butter over the filling.
- Fold over and crimp. Alternatively, if you don’t have a pasty press, take a plate and place over the rolled out dough. Using a knife, cut around the plate to get a circular piece of dough. Scoop the filling and butter in the center. Carefully fold one side of the dough to the other and crimp with a fork.
- Lay the pasties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each pasty with the beaten egg wash.
- Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 40-50 minutes until golden brown.
- Ladle over a scoop of beef gravy for serving.
Norwegian Pork Patties
Norwegian Pork Patties
Pork patties, did you say?! Why, yes! While so simple to make, this is what you need in your life. There are no eggs or breadcrumbs in the patty mix; making them fairly dense, but still very moist and flavorful. These pork patties pair great with sauerkraut and pork-filled potato dumplings(yes…more pork). Pork is king…
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 tsp potato flour or cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 6 tbsp whole milk
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients together.
- Form into 8 equally sized patties.
- Add just enough cooking oil to coat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add in the patties.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes a side.
Capellini Pomodoro
Capellini Pomodoro
Capellini pomodoro is a dish combining capellini pasta with a simple tomato sauce (pomodoro). The origin is Italian, with the pasta shape believed to have originated in northern Italy during the Renaissance and the tomato sauce evolving from a historical dish, with the combination of both becoming iconic. This pasta takes under 10 minutes to make, with the addition of lemon juice bringing a freshness to this dish.
Ingredients
- 1 lb angel hair pasta cooked al dente
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup basil roughly torn
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat up olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for 1 minute.
- Toss in the cherry tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Cover and sauté for 5 minutes until the tomatoes burst. Stir in the basil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Turn off the heat. Carefully toss the cooked angel hair pasta with the sauce.
