Greek Style Mini Cheese Pasties

Ingredients

Pastry:

500g Self raising flour

8 tbsp Melted salted butter

440g Yogurt, Greek obviously!

Salt to taste

Filling:

5 Eggs, beaten

400 g. Feta cheese

2  Cups grated cheese such as Kefalotyri, Mizithra or Gruyere. We sometimes use Cheddar or even Red Leicester or Gloucestershire for colour as well as flavour

To Glaze the Pasties:

1 egg yolk mixed with a little milk of desired, or just use egg yolk alone.

Sesame seeds - Optional

 Method

1. First we make the pastry, starting by mixing the flour with any additional salt you are using in a large bowl.

2. Next you add the melted butter and rub it in wth your fingers until the flour and butter are thoroughly combined.

3. Add the yogurt, mix and then place the mixture on a board to gently knead until it becomes a smooth dough. Once this is achieved, stop, otherwise the pastry will become overworked and hard when baked.

4. Wrap the pastry in cling film and place it in the fridge for an hour to rest.

5. Whilst the pastry is resting it is time to prepare the filling by putting all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Don’t forget to crumble the feta chees! It is that easy!

6. This is also a good time to preheat the oven. These pasties bake at 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4

7. Now it is time to assemble the pasties. Start by dividing the pastry into 3 parts and roll them into balls. It is easier to manage the dough and save space!

8. Using a rolling pin, flatten each of the balls to about ¼ cm thick on a floured surface.

9. Use a glass or cutter with a diameter of about 7cm, cut round discs of pastry. You can make them bigger or smaller to taste, this is your choice, though smaller may be a challenge.

NB: don’t waste your spare pastry dough, roll it back into a ball, flatten it and make as many little discs of pastry that you can.

10. Now fill the pasties by taking a teaspoon of filling and put it into the middle of each disc, one by one. 

11. Fold each of the discs into a crescent or pasty shape, press the edges together with a fork dipped in water to seal. 

12. Place the pasties on to a baking sheet, lined with baking paper and make sure you give them a little room to expand whilst they are baking.

13. Brush each pasty with the egg yolk and sprinke with some sesame seeds if using and then  bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden.

TIP: this recipe will make as many as 50 little pasties, which is great, but if there are too many for today, the uncooked ones freeze brilliantly and they will cook from frozen.