Make your favourite pie crust dough and get it resting in a cool place while you make the filling.
Sauté some onions or leeks in tallow until tender and fragrant. If you’re using meat, add this straight after the onions. Throw in whatever vegetables you are using and continue to cook while stirring until they soften. Stir through some greens, if using, then allow the mixture to cool down a bit. Add a little salt, to taste, but go easy on it if you’ll be adding cheese later, as this will add some salt of its own. Feel free to add any herbs or spices that you like
If you’re making meat-free pasties, add feta cheese or ricotta and crumble it up into lots of small pieces. When it’s cooled a bit more, stir through some optional grated mozzarella or hard cheese, and herbs or spices of your choice. If the mixture seems really dry, you can add some egg or a dash of leftover gravy or tomatoes, but you don’t want it to be swimming in sauce.
Preheat the oven to around 200ºC (400ºF).
Divide your dough into as many pasties as you’ll be making. Roll each one out into a circle and transfer the circles to a floured cookie sheet. Add the filling to each circle, seal, then prick with a fork a few times to allow steam to escape.
Bake for around 30 minutes, or until the pastry is starting to brown at the edges.
Serve on their own, or with some relish, sauce, or chutney.
