NOT SO CORNISH BEEF PASTIES
One family recipe. The perfect freezer-friendly snack for babies, children and grown-ups.
These mini beef pasties are packed with slow-cooked, tender beef and vegetables, making them a brilliant addition to your freezer. They’re perfect for lunchboxes, picnics, quick snacks or easy lunches, and because the filling is cooked first, it’s wonderfully rich and full of flavour. Any leftover filling can also be frozen as hearty beef casserole meals, so nothing goes to waste.
Makes: Approximately 16 adult pasties and 25 baby pasties
IngredientS
Base Filling
225g potatoes (Maris Piper work brilliantly), peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
1 large onion, diced into 1cm cubes
1 large carrot, diced into 1cm cubes
1 low-salt beef stock cube
1 low-salt vegetable stock cube
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
550g braising steak, trimmed and cut into 1cm (or smaller) cubes
1 tsp black pepper
400g passata
220ml water
Adult Seasoning
1 Knorr beef stock pot
2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
To Assemble
3 rolls ready-rolled puff pastry
A little water, for sealing the pastry
Method
1. Cook the Filling
Add the potatoes, onion, carrot, low-salt stock cubes, garlic, braising steak, black pepper, passata and water to a large casserole dish. Stir well, cover with a lid and cook at 180°C (160°C fan) for 2½ hours, until the beef is beautifully tender.
2. Divide for Baby & Adult
Once cooked, divide the mixture into two portions.
For the adult filling, stir through the Knorr beef stock pot and around 2 teaspoons of black pepper, adjusting the seasoning to your own taste. I like mine nice and peppery!
Leave the baby filling exactly as it is.
3. Chill
Allow both fillings to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight if possible. Cold filling is much easier to work with and helps keep the pastry crisp.
4. Make the Pasties
Unroll the puff pastry and use a round cutter to cut circles:
Smaller circles for baby pasties
Slightly larger circles for adult pasties
Place a teaspoon of filling into the centre of each circle.
Lightly wet the edge of the pastry with water, fold over to create a half-moon shape, then crimp the edges firmly with your fingers or a fork to seal.
5. Freeze
Arrange the uncooked pasties on a tray lined with baking paper and freeze until solid.
Once frozen, transfer them to freezer bags or containers ready to cook whenever you need them.
6. To Cook
Bake straight from frozen at 180°C (160°C fan) for approximately 20 minutes, or until the pastry is beautifully golden, crisp and piping hot all the way through.
This recipe makes a generous batch because that’s the size of braising steak I bought—but don’t worry if you have filling left over! Simply freeze any extra as individual baby beef casseroles or adult beef casseroles for another easy family meal. If you prefer a smaller batch, simply halve all of the ingredients
Serving Suggestions
For babies:
Serve alongside steamed peas or broccoli.
Add a few cucumber sticks or tomato wedges for older babies.
Perfect for lunchboxes or picnic lunches.
For adults:
Enjoy warm with a crisp green salad.
Serve with homemade chips and baked beans.
Delicious with pickles or a spoonful of chutney.
