Vegan Cornish Pasties

Originating in Cornwall, the Cornish pasty is sold all over the UK, in supermarkets, bakers, and pubs – it's the perfect take-out (or, as they say there, take-away) food. This recipe was published by the Vegetarian Society for National Vegetarian Week 2006, and I'm passing it on to Zaar for our 6th World Tour! Enjoy, and remember to pronounce with a long 'a' in 'pastie', like 'fast', which is how they'll be devoured ;)

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4 large pasties

Ingredients

• For the pastry

• 1⁄2 cup margarine (a vegan type!)
• 2  tablespoons margarine (a vegan type!)
• 1  cup white flour (a little generous)
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup water, very cold

• To glaze

• 1⁄4 cup soymilk, as needed

• For the filling

• 200  g potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 1⁄2 medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks
• 125  g swede, peeled and cut into chunks (can use turnip if swede is unavailable)
• 2 -3  teaspoons  light  vegetable stock powder (rounded teaspoons)
• 1⁄3 cup kidney bean, rinsed and drained
•  ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190C / 375F / Gas mark 5. Grease a baking sheet, or line with baking paper (not greaseproof).
2. To make the filling: put all ingredients except the kidney beans into a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Turn into a bowl and stir in the kidney beans. Add plenty of pepper to taste.
3. To make the pastry: Grate 120g margarine (or 60g margarine and 60g white fat) into 225g flour and the salt. Stir and cut through well with a large blunt knife to break up the fat and margarine a little.
4. Using the blunt knife to stir, gradually add enough water to make a soft dough. Do not make too sticky. Using a little of the remaining flour, gently roll out the pastry until about 1cm thick. Fold the pastry into thirds by bringing the bottom edge up to about two thirds, and the top edge down to cover. Then fold the sides in the same way. If not using straight away, wrap in foil and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
5. To form the pasties: Roll out the pastry to about 1cm thick and cut into 4 rounds about the size of a large tea plate. Pile filling into the centre of each circle and top with a piece of the remaining margarine. For each pasty, dampen the edge of the pastry with a little water, then fold pastry over the filling to form and half circle. Try to stuff as much filling in as you possibly can.
6. To make the traditional edging, beginning at the right side, use the forefinger and thumb of your right hand to pinch the pastry together while using the forefinger and thumb of your left hand to fold over the section of pastry next to it. Move along to the next section of pastry, and repeat. Continue in this way along the edge of the pastry, making a rope-like join.
7. Place the pasties onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush each one with soy milk, and prick with a fork to let the steam escape.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes until golden brown. Serve piping hot. The pasties should not split open, but if they do, it’s not a problem, they are merely called ‘laughing pasties’!