Leftover Pasties
This is a really handy recipe to help you revitalise your leftovers. Even if you only have little scraps of this and that, mix them together, shove them in some pastry and you have a wonderful hearty meal. These leftover pasties are perfect hot or cold, for picnics or for dinners. I will often use this recipe to use up any leftovers I have from a roast— as well as these 3 ways to use up leftover chicken— but this recipe works amazingly with any kind of leftovers.
This recipe is incredibly versatile and is only limited to your imagination. If you can imagine it inside pastry then it can be done. It's great to have different types of pasties for all the occasions and all the types of leftovers.
In this post:
What's so important about using leftovers
In UK households alone, 6.5 million tonnes of food are wasted every year. 4.5 million tonnes of this is actually edible so not chicken bone or egg shells. We're talking the last few bits of food from your plate that you couldn't quite finish or bread crusts and potato peelings. Everything that is edible and could have been saved from the bin
The consequence of this wasted food is not only the wasted money but there's a bigger picture too. Reducing food waste is also good for the planet and helps slow climate changes. The resources used to grow, harvest, transport and store the food that you buy get wasted when the food ends up in the bin.
To put this perspective, if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest producer of greenhouse gases after China and the US. By using up your leftovers you'll be helping look after the environment and every little counts.
What to eat with your leftover pasties?
Your pasties are great to go with picnic foods or as a light lunch. They can also be eaten hot for dinner and go great with mashed potato, roast veggies and gravy.
What pastry should I use for leftover pasties?
Shortcrust pastry is the classic pastry used for pasties. It's sturdy, flaky and buttery which perfectly holds a hearty amount of filling. The shortcrust pastry recipe that I have provided is a 'one-stop' recipe that I use for sweet or savoury pies. However, if you want a shortcut, you can use ready-made pastry instead.
If you really wanted to explore your creativity, you can try using filo or puff pastry. Any way will be delicious so get experimenting!
Tips for the perfect pastry
When mixing the butter and flour together you want to get an even breadcrumb texture. This gives you an even butter distribution and a lovely flaky pastry.
When making your breadcrumb butter and flour shake the bowl from side to side. Any lumps left in the mix will rise to the top. Keep mixing until there are more lumps. This technique helps make sure that there are no large lumps of butter left in the bowl.
The dough can also be made in a food processor. Just pulse the flour and butter until you get an even breadcrumb texture. Slowly add the eggs until the dough comes together in a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill while you make the filling.
The chilling time for the pastry is pretty important to get that crisp flaky pastry.
Tips for the perfect filling
If you don't have enough leftovers, you can bulk up your filling with extra vegetables and meat.
If you are adding meat to your filling then you can place it into the pasties raw as it will get cooked in the oven.
If you're using raw meat you won't need to add any kind of gravy because the meat juices make enough sauce.
If you are adding extra vegetables then its best to cook them before putting them in the pasties so that you can get rid of any extra water that the produce.
If you don't have any gravy or sauce to add to your filling (or are not using raw meat) then dot a little butter over the filling before closing up the pasty. This will stop the filling from drying out.
Fill your pasties right to the edge to sure they are jam-packed with deliciousness.
Once crimped, poke two holes in the top of the pasty to make sure your pasties don't burst in the oven.
Flavour inspiration
These leftover pasties are great for whatever bits and bobs you have in the fridge. You can literally use any combination and it will be tasty. You don't even need to worry about how much liquid is in you filling because pasties can come with a dry filling or with a more gravy-esque filling.
Personally, I don't like my pasties too dry so I will add a little gravy to my filling but you don't have to. A classic Cornish pasty doesn't have any sauce only potato, onion, swede and steak. You can't really go wrong but here are a couple of inspirations:
Classic leek and potato combination. Add some peas, onion and cheese and you've got yourself something special.
Lamb, tomato and sweet potato. Sometimes I'll add some feta to this one because, well, feta and lamb is a great combination.
Or you could go vegan with the roasted vegetables, chickpeas etc. The world is your oyster— or pasty in this case.
Can I make leftover pasties in advance?
You can, indeed, make these leftover pasties ahead of time. Once cooked, let them cool and then place in an airtight container and store in the fridge. You can eat them cold or reheat in an oven for 30 minutes at 190C/ 170C fan or until piping hot in the middle.
Because these pasties are already made with leftovers, I would recommend eating them straight away and definitely do not reheat more than once.
Can I freeze the leftover pasties?
You can also freeze these leftover pasties. Cook, cool and then, either, wrap tightly in clingfilm or place in an airtight container then freeze. They can be frozen for 1 month.
When you want to eat them, let them defrost in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the oven for 30 minutes at 190C/ 170C fan or until piping hot in the middle.
Can I buy pastry instead of making it?
Making shortcrust pastry is pretty easy but if you really don't want to, you can just use shop-bought. Either way you'll have some delicious pasties on your hands.
Leftover Pasties (extended)
Prep time
35-40 minutes
+30 minute refrigeration
Cook time
20-25 minutes
Makes
3-4 large pasties
For the pastry
155g Salted butter
100g Plain flour
100g Wholemeal flour
2 Medium eggs
Making the pastry
For the pastry, rub the butter and flour together with the tips of your fingers until you get a breadcrumb texture.
Tip: shake the bowl from side to side. Any lumps left in the mix will rise to the top. Keep mixing until there are more lumps. This technique helps make sure that there are no large lumps of butter left in the bowl.
Add the eggs and bring the pastry together— you may need to add more flour if the pastry is stick, it all depends on the size of your eggs. Turn the pastry on to a well-floured surface and knead it until it comes together into a smooth ball.
Wrap your pastry in clingfilm and then place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
For the filling
500g Cooked (or raw) chicken, cut into 2cm cubes
1 large Cooked potato
1 large Cooked Sweet potato
1 Brown onion, chopped
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
2 tsp Smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 Beaten egg
Making the filling
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. If you are using raw chicken, or any type of raw meat the add an extra teaspoon of salt.
Rolling the pastry
Take your pastry out of the fridge and roll out on a floured surface until you get a thickness you can cut, that won't tear easily. I find that this is around 1cm.
Cut circles into the dough using a plate that about 15cm diameter as a template— this doesn't need to be exact, I just use any side plate that I have on hand. Keep re-rolling the pastry until you can get as many circles as possible (usually 3-4). If there is still quite a bit of pastry left but not enough for a 15cm circle then you make a mini pasty instead.
Filling and folding the pasties
Evenly distribute a generous amount of filling into the centre of each circle. If you are using cooked meat in your filling then dot around 1 1/2 tsp of butter on top of the filling. If you are using raw meat or gravy then you can skip the butter.
Use the beaten egg to brush the edges of the pastry to help stick the pastry together.
Now, fold the other side of the pastry over the filling until the edges meet and you get a semi-circle. Bring the seam to the top and then crimp with your fingers.
Place your pasties onto a lined baking tray and make little holes in the top of them with a sharp knife to let out the steam.
Baking the pasties
Brush the remaining egg wash over the top of the pasties and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Did you make this recipe? Send me pictures of your baking masterpiece over social media or by email.
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