We want to know. What’s your pasty recipe?
Boy, we kinda stirred the pot last week when we asked our listeners what they put on their pasties. The results were varied and, to an extent, unexpected. And they were defended like Area 51. But let's get to the meat of the argument, pardon the pun. How do you make your pasties? And we're looking for recipes, so please put yours up on our Facebook page.
How important is the crust? Do you use a standard bread recipe or is there something that you think needs to be done differently? I pretty much use a standard bread recipe for everything from pie crusts to stromboli and it has garnered no real arguments from my family. Keep in mind, I have worked in media for over twenty years. My family is starving...
The meat of the pasty is...meat. But what cut? Do you use steak? Round steak? Sirloin? Those are my two cuts of choice, but in a pinch, I have found that hamburger works extremely well, although when I use ground round, I can actually hear the disembodied voice of my long-since-passed Irish grandmother praying for my soul. Whatever meat you use, it is pretty standard pasty-wise to mix it with salt, pepper, chopped onions and cubed potatoes. To save time, I have used a food processor to scallop the potatoes and dice the onions and think the results are delicious. But when I do this, I actually hear my grandmother using profanity in her prayers.
For me, the work is now primarily done, but two ladies who are close to me, my mother and the lovely Jessica swear that carrots need to be added to the mixture. Carrots. Jessica says that just a little bit of carrot will make it sweeter, but then again, she puts so much crap in her pasties you'd think it was her purse. Seriously.
"Lots of onion power. Lots of celery powder. Garlic powder. Garlic salt. Oh, and parsley," are her words. The lovely Jessica is never at a loss for words. Now Mom uses a lot more carrots, but over the years we have all learned that Mom has no use for measuring cups or timers, so none of us really ask her for recipes. But we have seen them. They are there. And I'll admit, they are good. But Mom also prefers to make her pasties in "pie" form. A pasty pie. She says that's how my grandmother used to make them too. And I am not going to get into an argument with Mom over pasties. Not with Gram still swearing in my head....
So, how do you make your pasties? Let us know on our Facebook page. And Bon Appetit.