3780. SPICY CHICKEN and BACON PASTIES

Serves 4

2 rashers streaky bacon, chopped

1 large potato (about 250 grams total weight), peeled and cut into small cubes

red chile, deseeded and finely chopped

1 ready-cooked chicken breast, shredded

3 spring onion, thinly sliced, thinly sliced

375 grams pack ready-rolled puff pastry

2 tablespoons milk

Heat oven to 220ºC/400ºF. Fry the bacon in a non-stick pan over a medium heat for a few mins, until it starts to release its fat. Add the potato, turn up the heat and fry for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the potato just underdone. Add the chile and cook for a further min. Season generously with black pepper, plus salt to taste.

Tip into a bowl and mix with the shredded chicken and spring onions. Unroll the pastry and, with a rolling pin, roll out until it's large enough to cut out 4 circles of pastry, using a large saucer or a side plate as a guide, discarding the trimmings. Lift onto a baking sheet.

Spoon the filling into the middle of each circle. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little milk, then bring them up to the middle, pinching at the top to make a pasty. Brush with a little milk, then bake for 15 mins or until golden.

bacon recipe source: Good Food magazine, November 2006, BBC Good Food

2494. CHICKEN, BACON and MUSHROOM PASTY

makes four pasties


FILLING
4 rashers smoked streaky bacon
½ tablespoon vegetable oil
125 grams spring onions
250 grams chicken fillet, preferably thigh
200 grams chestnut mushrooms

1 teaspoon smooth dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

CRUST
4 shortcrust or puff pastry circles
1 beaten egg for glazing

For the filling: chop the bacon and fry until crisp in the oil. Meanwhile, trim and finely slice the spring onions, including all the green. Dice the chicken. Wipe and slice the mushrooms.

Stir the spring onions into the bacon, reduce the heat and cook gently for 2-3 minutes until limp. Increase the heat slightly and add the chicken, tossing around until evenly coloured. Stir in the mushrooms and toss until damp-looking and beginning to wilt and darken. Cool to tepid.

Meanwhile have ready the pastry circles. Mix the mustard into the mayonnaise and stir through the filling mixture. Spoon the filling on to half of each pastry circle, leaving a 2.5cm border. Brush the pastry border with water, then quickly fold over the flap of pastry. Press round the edge to seal. Paint the seal sparingly with water then, working from one end, quickly and neatly turn up the edge in small tucks to give a distinctive ridged pasty finish, tucking the ends. (There’s no set style of crimping; just ensure the scalloped edges go upwards, to avoid juices escaping.)

Paint with beaten egg and prick a few times with a fork. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and bake in a preheated oven (200C/180C fan/400F/gas 6) for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lindsey Bareham, Daily Mail Online, January 17, 2009