A Savoury Turnover?

Growing up we called them "pasties" (that's "paa-stees for you in the U.S.) but the recipe I tried today called them beef turnovers. Personally, I think that turnovers should be sweet - like apple or apricot or custard. Hmmm... now I have another idea to try!

I have to admit that while I was making these I was a bit concerned about how they would turn out but I was pleased (and relieved) with the end result. They were tasty, although could do with a little more seasoning, and we all enjoyed them. Hubby was especially vocal in his approval. I did have a few problems with the pastry, first it wouldn't defrost then it wouldn't stick properly when I was pressing the sides together - I had 'egged' the sides and was using a fork as directed but the pastry didn't want to co-operate - but you couldn't even tell after they were cooked. Another concern was the amount of liquid in the mixture but when it was left to cool it thickened up nicely and was fine. The herbs I added were just what I had on hand, I'm sure lots of other ones would be great too.

Sorry, no photo - the batteries in the camera are dead dead dead and someone forgot to charge the spare set (Yes, that would be me but I'm officially blaming Hubby!)

Beef Turnovers

adapted slightly from Meals From The Freezer

in The Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook Series

Serves 8

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium brown onion, chopped coarsely
600g minced (ground) beef
2 medium carrots, chopped coarsely
2 medium potatoes, chopped coarsely and par boiled
¼ cup plain flour
3 cups beef stock
2 cups frozen peas ’n’ corn mix

1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
6 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten

Heat oil in a large heavy-base saucepan; cook onion, stirring, until soft. Add beef; cook, stirring, until beef changes colour. Add carrot, and blended flour and stock; cook, stirring, until filling mixture boils and thickens. Stir in peas and corn, cooked potato, basil and parsley; cool.

Cut six 18cm rounds (I used a bread plate as a stencil) from the pastry. Join pastry scraps together and cut two more rounds.

Preheat oven to hot. Place one-eighth of the filling in the centre of each round; brush edge lightly with egg. Fold pastry over to enclose filling; press edges together to seal. Brush turnovers, both sides, with egg (very tricky – I just brushed the top!); place on lightly oiled oven trays.

Bake uncovered in hot oven for about 20 minutes or until pastry is browned and turnovers are heated through.

An Update: The batteries charged in time for me to take a photo of the leftovers. They weren't the best looking of the turnovers but they were what was left (and we had them for tead the next night).