Broccoli And Stilton Pasties Cheese Broc Onions In Pastry Recipes

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Tip the flour into a bowl. Holding the block of butter in its wrapper, grate it directly into the flour (you may need to dip the end of the butter into the flour occasionally if it becomes sticky). Add the cayenne pepper, mustard powder and half the beaten egg, and season with a pinch of salt. Bring everything together with your hands until the mixture starts to clump together. Tip the pastry onto the work surface and knead very briefly into a smooth ball, adding up to 3 tbsp cold water if it's too dry. Squash the pastry into a disc. Wrap and chill while you make the filling.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions and thyme leaves for 8-10 mins until the onions have softened and started to caramelise. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool. Once cool, mix in the grated cheese, mustard and spring onions.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Roll the chilled pastry out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out as many 10-12cm circles as you can (you can use a cup or mug as a template), then re-roll any off-cuts and repeat. You should get about 10-12 circles in total.
• Spoon a mound of the filling into the centre of each pastry circle, leaving the edges clear. Working with one circle at a time, brush a little of the remaining beaten egg around the edge, then bring two sides up to meet in the middle in a half-moon shape. Pinch the pastry together, crimping the edge to seal. Transfer to the baking tray and repeat with the remaining pastry circles and filling. Brush all the pasties with some beaten egg. Will keep frozen for two months.
• Bake the pasties for 20-25 mins (or 40-45 mins from frozen) until the pastry is deep golden brown. Leave to cool for at least 10 mins before eating warm, or cool completely and pack into containers for a picnic. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

Steps:

• Thaw the pastry.
• If using homemade, put your dough in the refrigerator to chill.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan on a low heat.
• Mix in the onions and cook them until they are just beginning to soften.
• Mix them with the cheese and parsley.
• Roll out the pastry and cut out 4 rounds, each about 6 inches in diameter.
• Put a quarter of the cheese mixture on one half of each one.
• Fold over the other side and crimp the edges together.
• Lay the pasties on a floured baking sheet and brush them with milk or beaten egg.
• Bake them for 30 minutes and serve hot.

Steps:

• For crust:
• Blend both flours and salt in processor 5 seconds. Drop in shortening by tablespoonfuls. Cut in until coarsely diced. Add butter. Cut in until coarse meal forms. Transfer to bowl. Add 7 tablespoons ice water. Toss with fork until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; divide into 4 equal pieces. Shape each into disk; wrap and chill at least 45 minutes and up to 1 day.
• For filling:
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions. Sauté until deep brown, reducing heat if necessary to avoid burning, about 30 minutes. Add wine and thyme. Simmer until liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 3 minutes.Season with salt and pepper. Cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll out each dough disk between sheets of parchment paper to 9-inch round. Peel top parchment off each. Spread 1/4 of onion mixture on half of each round, leaving 1-inch plain border. Top onions with beef strips. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt over beef on each, then top each with 1/4 of cheese. Sprinkle with pepper. Brush dough border with some egg white. Using bottom parchment as aid, fold plain dough half over filling. Seal edges. Fold sealed edge over again; press with fork to double-seal.
• Brush each pasty with egg white. Cut 3 slits in each top crust. Divide pasties (still on parchment) between 2 large rimmed baking sheets.
• Bake pasties until crust is golden brown and filling is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; serve.