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"

Potato Pastry

Its Wednesday 

And on my breakfast tray this morning...

Good old British Baked Beans on Toast..

Photo: 1941

Wednesday is the day I give the bathroom a good scrub. 

We also have a half bathroom but that is very quick to clean.

Cannon Bathroom Towels Ad

January 1942

Its also another laundry day as the shower curtain and towels are washed and replaced.

So the topping for yesterdays pie was Potato Pastry.. a staple of British cooking during World War II, designed to stretch meager rations by replacing scarce flour and fat with mashed potatoes. And do you know... it wasnt too bad. Its easy to make and the potato is used to bind the dough which works well. Adding herbs for flavouring is a good idea... and a small amount of cheese (if available) would elevate the crust..

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ cup shortening

1 cup cold, mashed potato

1⁄3 to ½ cup milk

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine Clipping
January 1942

• Sift dry ingredients
• Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
• Cut in mashed potato. 
• Add enough milk to make stiff dough. 
• Roll on lightly floured surface to fit casserole or pie
• Slash for escape of steam. 

Mince Pies

Happy Friday Lovelies...

and what a busy day its been

Photo:1940

First the car had to go in for its annual service

Christmas Shopping at Macy's New York: 1947

While we were waiting.. we braved the crowds and did a little shopping...

although I must admit it was more looking than spending.

Photo: 1940

and we stopped for a light lunch.

Once home..it was onto my next Christmas project.. Mince Pies. Its just not Christmas without a traditional mince pie. 

My Wonderful Auntie Do

I cherish the fond memories growing up in Wales of visiting my aunt and uncle in their cottage overlooking the aquaduct. During the festive season.. there was always a cup of tea waiting with freshly baked pies straight from the Aga. I remember fighting with their doberman Digby... for the chair by the fire. Either way Digby would win... If you goth their first.. he would sit in your lap!!

These pies use a ration book short crust pastry.. and my Blackberry Mincemeat I made in the Autumn. I varied the pie toppings  They have plain rolled pastry tops..  some are cut with a festive shaped cutter, some have a lattice from pastry strips and some even have a crumble. But all of them are quite delicious

8oz flour

4oz cold butter 

Pinch salt 

Ice cold water

Jar of Mincemeat

• Pre heat oven to 400
• Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl 
• Rub the fat into it until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
• Add just enough cold water to mix to a dough that leaves the bowl clean. 
• Leave the pastry to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes
• Roll out half the dough as thinly as possible and 
• Cut it into  3 inch (7.5 cm) rounds
• Gathering up the scraps and re-roll. 
• Do the same with the other half of the pastry, this time using the 2½ inch cutter
• You could also use a festive shaped cutter, make a lattice from pastry strips or even use a crumble
• Grease muffin tins lightly and line them with the larger rounds. 
• Fill with mincemeat to the level of the edges of the pastry. 
• Dampen the edges of the smaller rounds of pastry with water 
• Press them lightly into position to form lids, sealing the edges. 
• Brush each one with milk and make a little slit on top
• Bake near the top of the oven for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown.
• Cool on a wire tray and sprinkle with icing sugar. 
• When cool, store in an airtight container

Let it Snow

Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra 1945