Pasties

Why is it that my comfort foods are not always the healthiest choices?  When I am tired, cold, overly hungry, sad, celebrating,consoling myself, or rewarding myself I want some good old-fashioned comfort food (wow! that is almost all the time).  My comfort food?  Let's see, I love macaroni and cheese, cherry pie, chocolate cake, mashed potatoes and gravy, fried chicken...do I need to go on?  One of my all-time favorites is pasties.

I guess this is a mid-west thing, or at least a Montana thing.  Both my mom and dad grew up in Montana and this is something I remember my mom making and my grandma making. My mom always makes them (really, now she buys them at the store) when I go to visit. When I really want to comfort myself I make pasties and wash them down with chocolate chip cookies.  Then add a few spoons of Nutella...but I digress.

So, the other day, I was feeling a little sorry for myself because my dear baby brother texted me a picture of his weather forecast (74°F) and I texted him a picture of mine (-9°F).  So I channelled my grandma and made pasties.  I think this is one of those recipes that everyone has their own variation.  Ours is very simple, ground meat, potatoes, onion, salt and pepper, and pie crust.  I even bought the crust because I was really feeling sorry for myself and didn't want to make any.  I have heard some people put carrots in theirs, that must be a Michigan thing, not a Montana thing.  How ever you make it, I hope you enjoy it soon.

Grandma's Pasties

1 lb. ground burger (I use moose)
1 onion, diced or grated
2 med. russet potatoes, diced or grated
salt, pepper to taste
2 pie crusts
1 egg plus 1 Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Mix burger, grated onion, grated potatoes, and salt and pepper.  Divide meat mixture in half.  Roll out one pie crust in about a 12" circle.  Place half the meat mixture on one half of the pie crust.  Beat egg with water.  Brush egg wash over unfilled side of pastry.  Fold pie crust over meat and close side.  Fold and pinch crust to seal meat in crust.  Cut vents on top of crust and carefully transfer to cookie sheet. Brush top of pastry with egg wash. Repeat with second crust and the rest of the meat mixture.  Bake for 35-45 minutes, until meat is cooked through and pastry is golden brown.

Serve with brown gravy and/or ketchup (my favorite).  Feel better soon.


March 21, 2013     Daylight 12 hours, 25 minutes, 17 seconds     Temp. H 21/ L-2 °F