SaS- Chicken Pastys

Happy Thursday Seekers!  If I'm being honest, I was less than thrilled about today's chicken theme.  We eat so much chicken and I get tired of the same ol' same ol'.  But the more I thought about it, the more excited I got.  Because I can't wait to see what everyone else shares today.  So head on over to the tank and link up your chicken recipes with my sissy!

Today I'm sharing my MIL's pasty (pronounced /ˈpæsti) recipe. Pastys are a Cornish meat pie, (a pastry filled with meat and vegetables).  They are so yummy.  Apparently they're really big up North?  The MIL dated some guy from up there and he taught her how to make them.  (William loved them growing up, they were his favorite).  lt's a--- 'inside' family joke. . . the MIL says that about EVERYTHING.   Pastys have become a family favorite around here.  My MIL typically uses steak, but you can use CHICKEN, steak, or pork.  She also makes her dough from scratch.  O.M.G.  Amazing yumminess!  It's my favorite part.

Pastry Crust 

1/2 cup ice cold water

4 cups flour 

1 cup (butter flavored) Crisco 

2 tsp salt 

Pasty Filling 

1 1/2 cups small cubed chicken (any meat)

5 potatoes  (diced)

3 carrots (diced)

1 medium onion(diced)

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp pepper

In a large bowl combine flour and salt.  Add ~cut-in~ Crisco with a pastry cutter.  Add 'ice cold' water 1 tbsp at a time.  Mix with fingers until the dough just comes together.  Separate into 6 balls.  (I said balls).  Place in a bowl in the refrigerator to chill, approximately 30 minutes. 

(I asked the MIL if this could be done in a food processor, like my sissy does?  She looked at me like I was a total nut-burger).  If it were me, I'd say just buy the ready-made pie crust by Pillsbury and call it a day.  Ha! 

Mean while, cube your chicken and dice your vegetables.  Combine in a large bowl and add salt/pepper.  When the MIL makes her chicken pastys, she adds celery and 1/4 cup of chicken stock.  Your goal is to have 6 cups of filling total, (1 cup per pasty).  You could make these with whatever filling you want.  Traditionally pastys are made with rutabaga.  Um, yeah, no.  Over the weekend we had pork, butternut squash, apples, and onions.  Yum!  

Once the dough is cold (it takes about as long to chill the dough as it takes to dice up all those vegetables and meat) remove from fridge.  On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough out to a 10-inch circle (the size of a plate).  Add 1 cup of filling.  Top with 2 pats of butter.  Moisten edges and fold in half.  Pinch the edges together.  Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet.  Cut two slits in each crust (on top) to vent.  Brush with egg wash.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 

        

      

The MIL serves hers with ketchup or brown gravy.  I like to top mine off with more butter instead.  DEFREAKINGLICIOUS!!  They're a lot of work, but they are absolutely worth it!  Lucky for me, the MIL makes mine for me!  HA!    

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