Meat and Potato Pasty (UP Michigan)
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground beef (uncooked)
- 4 potatoes
- 1/2 large onion
- 4 celery stalks
- 1/2 rutabaga (optional)
- 1/2 turnip (optional)
- 15 baby carrots
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Method
Chop potatoes into small dice (about the size of a french fry, cubed). Chop rutabaga, carrots, and turnip into smaller dice. Chop onion into small pieces. Combine all ingredients, including beef, in a large mixing bowl (by hand is easiest).
Roll out pie crust to approximately 9" diameter circles, one for each pasty. Store-bought pie crust works fine, too, and is much easier. For each crust, put in about 1 c of the mixture, onto one half of the crust. Fold over the crust. Pinch together the edges. Place small slits in the top of the crust.
Bake at 375F for one hour, and enjoy!
Notes
This is the pasty recipe I got from my Mom, one of my favorites growing up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. And it still is a favorite!
The amounts for ingredients can be adjusted to taste. If you like more ground beef or potatoes, add some. If you prefer less rutabaga or turnip, use less.
They can also be frozen if they won’t be eaten in the next couple days.
For frozen pasties, they can be heated in an oven at 350 for about 40-45 minutes. After about 20 minutes, I cut them in half, to help the middle of the pasties thaw and heat thoroughly.
As a variation, my sister adds a can of Cream of Celery soup to the beef and veggie mixture to help moisten it.
SJ Note 23 Sept 2009: This needs more liquidy stuff in the filling; possibly mashed potato; possibly cream-of-something. Also, more salt, pepper, and herbs.