Wartime Cold Meat Pasties

The sniffles have finally gone but Im feeling a bit tired and run down. I really need a tonic. I know MrD worries.. mainly because I had cancer  a couple of years ago and I was blessed (or lucky however you look at it) to beat it. I was very well looked after over the weekend.. Thank you MrD

So today I had a bit of catching up to do.. laundry and cleaning.. especially the bedrooms.. and there was some leftovers in the fridge I had to use up. And an ideal way was to make some Cold Meat Pasties from the McDougall's Wartime Cookery Book "What to Give Them" from the early 1940s

Now I did make a couple of changes. Two Tablespoons of vegetables were not enough so I added more.. and I already had them so it was no problem. And I made them into hand pies instead of pasties ( don't know what I was thinking!!!!) which is why they probably caught a little on the top!

Original Recipe

I served them with a garden salad and I must say they were very tasty.. I had one.. MrD had 2.. and he will take the remaining one to work for his lunch tomorrow

Short Crust Pastry, using 8oz Flour, 4oz fat and cold water to bind

8oz Minced Cold Meat.(your choice)

1 small onion chopped

2 tablespoonfuls Worcester Sauce. 

2 Tomatoes, chopped. 

8 tablespoonfuls mixed cooked vegetables chopped

2 tablespoonfuls Gravy

Salt and Pepper.

• Mix all the filling ingredients thoroughly in a basin. 
• Make the pastry, roll out and cut into four rounds. 
• Brush the edges with water or beaten egg. 

• Divide the filling evenly and place a portion on each round. 
• Bring the edges together, pinch well and trim into flutes, between the finger and thumb. 
• Make a slit in each side of the pastry with a pointed knife. 
• Brush with beaten egg if liked
• Place on a greased baking sheet and bake in a fairly hot oven for 20 minutes.
• 200℃, 400℉, Gas Mark 6

McDougall's Wartime Cookery Book
"What to Give Them"