In the Mood for...Curry Potato & Beef Pasties

Tried out Secret Recipe's ginomous Curry Puff some time back and was tickled into having a go at making my own version at home. I got out of bed this morning and told myself this has to be the day...so here goes!

Curry Potato & Beef Pasties


















Shortcrust Pastry :
500g Plain Flour
250g Butter
1/4 tsp Salt
50 -70ml iced water

Filling :
4 nos. Large Potatoes (boiled and diced)
300g Minced Beef
1 no. Large Onion (diced)
4 tbsp Curry Powder (mixed into a paste with some water)
3 tbsp Oil
3/4 cup Water
Salt & Sugar to taste
3 nos. Hard-boiled Eggs (quartered)

Method :
1. Preheat oven to 200 Degree Celsius.
2. To prepare Shortcrust pastry, weigh out flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add in butter and rub butter into flour using fingertips till it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add in sufficient iced water to form a dough. Knead well till dough is smooth.
4. Place covered in the refrigerator for 30 mins before using.
5. To prepare Filling, saute diced onions with oil in a pan till softened and fragrant. Add in minced beef and fry till almost cooked. Add in curry paste and stir-fry. Add in the water and seasonings to taste. Lastly add in the diced potatoes and slowly simmer to absorb moisture into potatoes. Set aside to cool before using.
6. To assemble Pasties, roll pastry to approx. 0.50cm thick. Cut out rounds (approx. 15cm diameter). Place about 1 1/2 tbsp of filling and a quarter of the hard-boiled egg into the centre of the round. Seal the edges together and place onto baking trays.
7. Egg wash the pasties. bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or till golden brown.

* Special Mention - This jumbo-sized treat can be served as a main for lunch just by having a simple garden salad drizzled with balsamic vinegar on the side.

** Post-mortem Report - If you like your pastry with that buttery melt-in-the-mouth texture, increase the butter to 350g. However, I find it a tad too 'soft' for my liking. The 'soft' texture also posed a problem during pre-baking handling. Also, feel free to substitute beef with chicken or any other types of meat (either minced or cubed).