Flaky pastry encases a delectable filling of potato, Stilton cheese and diced Fenland celery, these pasties make for a perfect midweek family supper, as well as being wonderful packed up and eaten ‘al fresco’ as a Bonfire Night warmer. Suitable for freezing.
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 30 – 35 mins
You’ll need
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tsp English mustard powder
200g Stilton cheese, crumbled
4 sticks Fenland celery, diced
450g ready-made puff pastry
1 free-range egg, beaten with tablespoon milk
Salt and pepper to taste
What to do
Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Grease and line a large baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
Boil the potatoes until they are soft enough to mash; mash them until they are smooth, then add the mustard powder, crumbled Stilton cheese and the diced celery.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
Roll the pastry out on a well-floured board and stamp out circles with a saucer or small plate, to about 5” (13cms) in diameter.
Spoon some of the filling mixture over one half, moisten the edges of the pastry then fold the pastry over to form a crescent and seal by crimping around the edges with your fingers or a fork.
Place the pasties on the baking sheet, cut a slit to allow the steam to escape and brush them all over with the beaten egg and milk mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden brown.
Remove the pasties from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving warm, or cold.
Can be frozen before baking.
Cook’s tip: Fenland celery is a heritage variety of celery grown in the Cambridgeshire Fens. In 2013, Fenland celery was awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status and joined the ranks of Parma ham, Champagne and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies. Fenland celery is only grown in small pockets of Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk using traditional farming methods. The deep, peaty soils in the Fens work towards giving Fenland celery its nutty-sweet flavour and paler colour. Fenland celery is available from October to December and can be found in Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Tesco stores nationwide and online at Ocado.
