Karl’s Curried Peach Pasties

When I was making my curried chicken pasties, I had run out of filling before I ran out of dough. What was I going do do with the extra?  I decided to use it to make some fruit hand-pies for dessert.

Note: Since most people who wished to make these would have to start from scratch, I have cut the dough recipe down to size.

Karl’s Curried Peach Pasties

Ingredients

Crust

1+ cup flour, AP
½ tsp. Kosher salt
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. onion powder
½ stick (¼ cup) frozen unsalted butter

1 large egg
¼ cup ice water
½ Tbs. distilled white vinegar

Filling

2-3 peaches
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp. curry powder

Directions

1. Place several ice cubes into a half a cup of water.

2. Sift the flour, salt, turmeric and onion powder together several times in a large bowl to get a complete and even mixture.

3. Use a box grater to shred the butter into the flour.

Tip: As the butter shreds build up in the bowl, stir them into the flour to coat them.

4. Use a pastry cutter to chop the shreds into tiny pieces.

Tip: To get a flaky dough the butter must remain cold so that it does not bind with the flour. You want to handle the butter and dough as little as possible with your warm hands—why Jan has always been better at crusts than me.

5. Measure out one quarter cup of ice water and add the egg and vinegar. Whisk the mixture to blend.

Tip: The vinegar inhibits the proteins in the flour from forming gluten. There is not enough vinegar to make it taste “sour.”

6. Make a “well” in the flour and add the liquid.

7. Use a spatula to mix the flour into the dough until most of the dry flour has been incorporated.

Tip: You may need to add as much as another quarter cup of flour, depending on the size of your egg.

8. Turn the dough out onto a clean smooth surface and knead the dough 3-5 times.

Tip: Not 3-5 minutes, only 3-5 kneads, the more you handle the dough the more the butter will melt and the more gluten will form, making your dough tough.

9. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator to chill for one hour.

10. Peel the peaches and chop them into small bits.

11. Put them in a mixing bowl with the sugar and curry powder. Mix well.

12. Preheat the oven to 400º F.

13. Divide your dough into 12 to 16 equal balls.

Tip: Roll the dough into an inch thick “sausage.” Cut the sausage in half. Cut the halves into thirds or fourths depending on how big you want your finished pasties.

14. On a well floured surface roll each ball into a flat disc.

15. Place some of the peach sauce in the center of the disk and fold one edge over the filling.

16. Pinch the edges shut and place each pasty on a parchment lined baking sheet.

17. Bake the peach pasties for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown on top.

18. Cool on a wire rack to warm and serve.