Summary of "Cheese and Onion Pasties – Mash Potato Pastry - A Perfect Savoury Treat"

Ingredients

For the mashed potato pastry

Mashed potato (quantity not specified; enough to form a dough)
Plain all-purpose flour (quantity not specified)
Corn starch/corn flour (quantity not specified)
Salt (to taste)
Butter (quantity not specified; adjust if mashed potatoes are heavily buttered or creamy)
Egg yolk (1, for richness)
Cold water (as needed, to bring dough together)

For the filling

Onions (2, thinly sliced)
Butter (small amount, for caramelizing)
A pinch of sugar (to aid caramelization)
A little oil (to finish caramelizing)
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
Cream cheese (quantity not specified)
Cheddar cheese (quantity not specified)
Fresh thyme (a pinch)
Dijon mustard (about 1 teaspoon)

Equipment

Mixing bowl
Frying pan with lid
Pastry cutter (approx. 15 cm diameter)
Oven preheated to 190°C (375°F)
Baking tray lined with parchment paper (or scraps if parchment unavailable)
Rolling surface and rolling pin
Fork (for crimping pastry edges)
Cling film (for wrapping pastry dough)

Method

Pastry Preparation

In a bowl, combine mashed potato, plain flour, corn starch, and salt.
Add butter and mix with hands until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Incorporate one egg yolk for richness.
Add cold water sparingly to bring dough together; it should be slightly sticky but manageable.
Wrap dough in cling film and leave at room temperature (fridge optional) to rest while preparing filling.

Chef Tip: - If mashed potatoes are very buttery or creamy, reduce added butter in the pastry. - Dough can be made gluten-free by substituting flour and processing briefly in a food processor.

Filling Preparation

Thinly slice onions.
In a pan with lid, combine onions, butter, a pinch of sugar, salt, and a little water.
Heat with lid on to steam and soften onions, stirring occasionally.
Once water evaporates, remove lid and add a little oil to help caramelize onions properly, stirring until golden and soft.
Turn off heat and let onions cool.

Filling Assembly

Mix cooled caramelized onions with cream cheese, grated cheddar, a pinch of thyme, salt, black pepper, and about 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Pasties Assembly

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
Roll out pastry dough on a floured surface to about 3 mm thickness.
Using a 15 cm pastry cutter, cut out circles (enough for 4-5 pasties depending on filling quantity).
Place a generous amount of filling on one half of each circle.
Fold over to create a half-moon shape and press edges together.
Crimp edges with a fork to seal; dip fork in flour if dough sticks.
Brush tops with beaten egg for color.
Place on parchment-lined baking tray.

Baking

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and crisp on top.

Serving and Presentation

Allow to cool slightly before cutting open. Serve warm to enjoy the creamy, cheesy filling with caramelized onions inside a golden, soft yet crisp mashed potato pastry.

Chef Tips & Notes

The mashed potato pastry is soft, pliable, and has a slight crisp on the outside.
The caramelization technique uses steam to soften onions quickly before finishing with dry heat to brown.
The egg yolk enriches the pastry.
The filling is rich and flavorful with the combination of cream cheese, cheddar, and Dijon mustard.
If filling is too much for the pastry size, adjust quantities accordingly.
Using a fork dipped in flour prevents sticking when sealing edges.
This recipe can be adapted for gluten-free diets by substituting flours.

Presenter/Channel: Rick from Bak Chef Video Title: Cheese and Onion Pasties – Mash Potato Pastry - A Perfect Savoury Treat