Pasties are basically the British version of empanadas or calzones, and are quite popular in the Midwest of the United States.  Pasties originally gained popularity with workers in colder climes, whose wives would pack freshly-baked pasties that would hold some of their warmth throughout the day.  Nowadays, with the advent of microwaves and toaster ovens, you can enjoy these whenever you’d like!

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Pasties

Ingredients

Dough

• 1-3/4 cups flour (or gluten-free substitute)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup non-margarine butter substitute
• 6 to 10 tablespoons water

Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

1. To prepare the dough, sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. With fork or pastry cutter, add the non-margarine butter substitute. Stir in ice water gradually just until the mixture holds together – don’t overwork the dough, you want the end result to be flaky. Cover and chill for an hour.
2. While the dough chills, prepare the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the saute and cook until the mushrooms express their liquid.
3. Add sweet potato and combine until the potatoes are thoroughly coated, then add the broth and reduce heat to low and cover while the potatoes cook. They should be tender in about 15 minutes.
4. Add broccoli to the potatoes and cook an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cottage cheese and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. To prepare the pasties, divide the dough in half, and roll 1 half out on a floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 5-inch round crusts then roll and repeat until the dough is exhausted.  Roll each dough into an oval and fill each pastry with about 1/2 a cup of dough then press down the edged with a fork. Transfer each pastry to a baking sheet.
6. When the baking sheet is full, bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 18- 25 minutes.

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Pasties