beef pasties

500g diced steak

2 potatoes, cut into small pieces

1 onion, finely diced

1 tsp rosemary

ground peppercorns

500g shortcrust pastry 

splash of milk

• Brown steak in a frying pan or skillet. 
• Add steak, potatoes, onion, rosemary and peppercorns to a slow cooker.
• Cover with a little water - just enough so the pot doesn't boil dry. 
• Set on high and cook for around 2 hours until the beef is tender and potatoes are softened. 
• Drain off the liquid and leave pasty mix to cool. 
• Pre-heat oven to gas mark 6.
• Flour your work surface and roll out your pastry, cut into desired number of pieces. 
• Add filling, wet the edges with water, fold, trim and pinch the edges.
• Make air holes in the top of the pasty with the point of a sharp knife. 
• Put a splash of milk into a cup and brush over the pasty. 
• Bake for around 35 minutes. 

I used a ready made dough and I made the filling the day before. If you have leftover filling and dough you can make mini pies using a cupcake tin.

• Give the filling a quick whizz in a blender, to break down the meat and potatoes. Don't over blend as you don't want a purée. 
• Grease the moulds. 
• Roll out your leftover pastry pieces, cut out into circles.
• Line moulds with a piece of pastry, add filling, top and seal with a second piece of pastry.
• Brush with milk.
• Bake for around 30 minutes.