My Easy Vegetarian Pasties are certain to be a hit with your entire family. These delicious savoury baked goods are filled with tender root vegetables and encased in flaky puff pastry. They are ideal for meal prep; keep some in your freezer for times when you need a casual meal in a hurry.
Peel and cut the onion, carrot, turnip and potato into small dice, about 6 mm (¼ inch) and add to a medium-size bowl. Mix well to combine.
If using immediately, season with salt and pepper, but if preparing in advance, don’t add the salt until ready as it will draw moisture out of the veg and make the mixture watery.
For the Pastry:
Remove the puff pastry from the freezer, separate the sheets and set them aside to partially defrost. Work with one sheet of pastry at a time and keep the others in the fridge to stay cold. Prepare 2 baking trays by lining them with non-stick baking paper.
Using a cutter or a template, cut out 4 circles from a sheet of pastry, about 12 cm (4 ½ inches) each.I use a lid from a plastic container from a supermarket deli to mark my circle and cut around it with a sharp paring knife. – See Note 4
Brush just inside the edge of one half of the pastry with beaten egg.Add about 1 tablespoon of mixture to one half of the pastry, being careful to keep the mixture away from the edge. See Notes 5 and 6.
Fold the other side of the pastry over the filling, into a half-moon shape, making sure the edges meet.Press firmly to seal the edges and crimp them together. To crimp the edges, press down on the edge of the pasty, starting at one end, holding it down between your thumb and forefinger. Use the forefinger of your other hand to push the edge of the pastry between your fingers, push toward you, making an indent. Repeat until it is sealed and place the pasty on the baking tray.
Continue with the remaining mixture and pastry. The pastry must remain chilled. If necessary, return it to the fridge to re-chill. If it becomes warm, it will stretch out of shape and become difficult to work with.
When one tray is assembled, brush the top of the pasties with the beaten egg and place them into the fridge for 15 minutes. Chilling the pastry again will give you the best result.
Baking the Pasties:
Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees C (400 F).
Add your trays to the oven and bake for 10 minutes and then lower the heat to 180 degrees C (355 F) and cook for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn the trays around mid-way so they cook evenly.
Remove the trays from the oven and cool the pasties on a rack.Repeat with the remaining pastry and mixture.
Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or wrap them well in cling wrap and then in foil, and place them in a freezer-safe airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.If packing in layers, it is advisable to separate them with a sheet of baking paper so they don’t stick together.
Video
Notes
Salt: use coarse kitchen salt. Table salt is not suitable. It is too fine and may make the filling too salty.
Pepper: you can use freshly ground black pepper if you prefer.
Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking - ensure that the mixture is not bland to your taste.
Puff pastry: my puff pastry sheet measured 24 cm X 24 cm (9 ½″) square. I used 5 sheets of pastry and made 4 pasties from each sheet. Depending on the size of your pastry, you may wish to make larger pasties.
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
Quantity of mixture: with your first pasty, you will determine how much mixture you can add. It may be a little more than a tablespoon, but it is better to not add too much, or you may tear a hole in the pastry while trying to seal it.