Hearty beef and vegetable pasties

These perfectly sized pastry treats are the best for special events or as snacks for afternoon tea or for the grandkids after school. They are mouthwateringly good with a tender beef and healthy vegetable filling wrapped in crispy shortcrust pastry. You can cook these in bulk and freeze them for up to three months as back up snacks in preparation for those days when you just don’t feel like cooking – because we all feel like that sometimes!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• 400g lean beef mince
• 1 medium desiree potato, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 small carrot, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup barbecue relish
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1/2 cup frozen peas and corn
• 4 sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, partially thawed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Method

1. In a large saucepan over high heat, heat oil. Add onion. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Add mince. Cook and stir for 6 to 8 minutes until browned. Make sure to break up mince with wooden spoon as it cooks. Add potato, carrot, thyme, relish and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well.
2. Add stock to pan. Reduce heat to medium low. Leave to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender and stock is basically evaporated. Stir in pea and corn. Remove from heat. Set aside for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 200C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Use a 12cm cookie cutter to cut 4 equal rounds from the pastry. Spoon 1/4 of the mixture onto each round. Brush egg around the clear edges. Fold pastry to enclose filling and press together edges to form a seal.
4. Place of trays. Brush with egg. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden. Serve.