Easy Beef Pasties Recipe

These easy beef pasties are made with a quick ground beef and vegetable filling inside a pre-made pie crust pastry. They are the perfect portable comfort food!

What are beef "pass-tee's"?

The pasty, pronounced "pass-tee", has a long history with working men. Originally wives made these for their husbands as a portable lunch before they went to the mines to work. My family hales from West Virginia, so making an American version of this long-time Cornish favorite has always been near and dear to my heart.

Beef pasties are hand pies filled with meat and vegetables, and were brought to the US in the 1840's by Cornish miners. It dates back to 1150 in England where they were a popular lunch for miners given they were filling and could stay warm for hours. Easily reheated on a shovel over a lamp they were often initialed to indicate whose it was.

Ingredients

The ingredients for this recipe are simple, and usually are found in most pantries.

• Ground beef - I use an 80/20 meat to fat ratio meat.
• Refrigerated pie crusts - makes this quick, but you can make your own Butter Pie Crust Pastry.
• Carrots, potatoes, and peas - traditionally made with carrots and rutabaga I prefer potatoes with the addition of a few frozen peas.
• Onion - small, and finely chopped.
• Seasonings - Parsely (can be dried or fresh), salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Beef broth - to keep the filling moist.
• Worcestershire sauce - for a little added flavor.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese - this is an optional ingredient.

Cooking instructions

• Heat a small pot with water to a low boil. Add in diced carrots and potatoes then cook for about ten minutes or until tender.
• Dice an onion while you wait. Preheat a large fry pan to medium heat. Add the onion and a little oil for cooking, and saute until soft.
• Add in the ground beef with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until no longer pink.
• Reduce the heat to low. Add the Worcestershire sauce, cooked vegetables, frozen peas, and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted, and then remove from the heat.
• The filling can be prepared up to this point as a make ahead step then stored in the refrigerator overnight.

• Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Cut each of the refrigerated pie crusts into four pieces.
• Roll each piece into a ball, and then roll out with a rolling pin.
• Put a half cup or so of filling on top, fold over one half of the crust, and pinch closed with a fork.
• Put onto an ungreased cookie sheet until all the pies are done.
• Brush with egg wash, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve with ketchup or brown gravy.