KATKAT'S KITCHEN

  Butternut, walnut, ricotta and sage Pasty

may not be your idea of a Pasty and truth to tell it is not the archetypal Cornish pasty, which is made with onion,minced meat and root vegetables, but Butternut, walnut, ricotta and sage Pasty does share some common characteristics. The walnuts add texture which the minced meat does, the ricotta adds a creaminess which replaces the gravy, and the sage adds a characteristic bitterness.

Cornwall is famous for its tin mines and the miners used to take the pasty down for lunch. Sometimes it had jam at one end and the meat in the other, but as neither end was marked it was pot luck whether or not you got your dessert first.

Butternut, walnut, ricotta and sage Pasty is perfect served warm as a snack or cold on a picnic because as the pastry is robust it travels well. The next time I make it wild mushrooms will make a nice addition.

Butternut, walnut, ricotta and sage Pasty

Ingredients

1kg/2lb 3oz butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 1.5cm/½in cubes

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

20 sage leaves, shredded

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

800g/1lb 12oz ready-made shortcrust pastry

120g/4oz walnuts, toasted

500g/1lb ricotta

4 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil

1 free-range egg

Pinch salt

3 tablespoons flour, plus extra for dusting

Preheat the oven to 200C/390F/Gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Method

Mix the butternut squash, onion, olive oil and half the sage together, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place inside the lined baking tray. Roast until the squash is cooked (when a fork goes through it easily), then take from the oven and leave to cool.

Divide the pastry in half and roll each half out to a 60x20cm/24x8in rectangle on a lightly dusted work surface. Using a 20cm/8in diameter plate as a template, cut out three rounds from each piece.Lay these on a baking sheet and put in the fridge to rest for at least 20 minutes.

Once the butternut squash has cooled, tip it into a large bowl and mix in the walnuts, ricotta and pumpkin seed oil, making sure you don’t crush the squash.

Take the pastry rounds from the fridge and allow them to come up to room temperature. Beat the egg with a pinch of salt and brush the pastry completely on one side with the egg-wash – it’ll be easier to do this one piece at a time.

Take one-sixth of the butternut squash mixture and dollop it in the centre of a pastry round, and then carefully fold the pastry in half, making sure the filling is enclosed. Dip a fork in the flour and use it to press down and seal the edges. Try to squeeze out excess air as you do this – otherwise it can make the pasty pop open in the heat of the oven. As you finish each pasty, place it on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Brush the remaining egg-wash over the pasties and prick each one several times with the fork. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until the pastry is golden and cooked. Serve hot or cold.

Learn How to Make Cornish Pasties in a Eclectic Manor House …
Is it time for your mid-day tea break? Then pour your self a cuppa and learn how to make authentic Cornish pasties in this short but entertaining video from The Guardian, a UK newspaper. Our cook today is Kay Bolitho and …
http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain