Curry Spiced Pumpkin, Pork and Pea Pasties
Makes 4 3 ½ “ Diameter Pasties.
Ingredients and preparation –
30ml Vegetable oil
½ tsp Black mustard seeds
½ Onion (finely chopped)
1 Garlic clove (crushed)
1 Curry paste (see notes)
100g Pumpkin flesh (cut into small cubes)
200g Pork mince
50g Frozen peas
250g Ready made puff pastry
1 Small Egg (whisked)
Plain flour for dustings
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
2. Add a glug of vegetable oil to a medium sized saucepan over a medium heat, add in the mustard seeds and when they begin to pop tip in all of the curry paste. Stir this around and let it cook through for a couple of minutes.
3. Stir in the chopped onions and garlic and let them soften down.
4. Add in the diced pumpkin and leave to soften slightly for 5 minutes stirring regulally.
5. Tip in the pork mince and give a good stir around so that it all gets coated in the curry paste and oil mixture as it cooks through.
6. After a few minutes when the pork is cooked add in the frozen peas.
7. Let this simmer away for a while stirring occasionally while you prepare the pastry.
8. Firstly for the pasty bases you’ll need around an 8” square piece of pastry. So onto a clean, lightly floured surface roll out the puff pastry until it is approximately 2mm thick, then cut out four circles with the smaller pastry cutter and set these aside. (A light dusting of flour on the rolling pin also helps to stop pastry sticking to it).
9. For the pasty tops repeat the previous instructions but cut out four pastry circles with the large cutter.
10. Lay the bases back onto the lightly dusted surface and spoon some of the filling into each circle leaving the pastry edges free.
11. Brush the exposed edges with the whisked egg before placing the large pastry lids over the top trying not to leave too much air inside then seal the edges using the prongs of a fork.
12. Trimming off the edge of the pastry neatly will not only make the finished pasties look nicer but it will also promote a good seal and a good rise when cooking. The smaller cutter should fit nicely over the top or failing that use a sharp knife to trim them.
13. Give the pasties a brushing over with some of the remaining whisked egg and place on a lined baking sheet and cook in the oven for around 20 minutes or until the have risen and are a nicely browned colour.
14. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack then serve warm as they are, or with some Indian chutney.
Preparing the filling mixture the night before and leaving the flavours to infuse in the refrigerator will enhance the curry flavour and bring out the spice.
By Ben Zagorski