Chilling time:
1 hr

Ingredients:
3⁄4 cup lard, chilled and diced
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

For the filling:
10oz (300g) finely chopped sirloin steak,
or skirt steak
1 onion, finely chopped
splash of Worcestershire sauce
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten, for glazing

Method:
1 To make the pastry, rub the lard into the flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

2 Add the baking powder and salt and enough cold water to form a soft dough. Bring the dough together, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

3 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).Mix the beef, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning together and set aside.

4 On a floured work surface, roll the pastry out to ¼in (5mm) thick. Using a side plate or saucer, cut 4 circles out of the pastry.

5 You may need to re-roll the off cuts to get all 4. If the pastry cracks on rolling, gather it together and start again; the re-rolling will make it more robust.

6 Fold the circles in half, trim the sides so that they are a bit rectangular, then flatten them out again.

7 Pile a quarter of the filling onto one half of each pastry circle. Leave a 3⁄4in (2cm) border.

8 Brush the border with a little beaten egg. Now fold the pastry over and crimp the edges together. Brush the finished bridies with a little beaten egg, and cut a slit in the top of each one to allow the steam to escape.

9 Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

10 Remove the bridies from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.

STORE:
The bridies will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days.

BAKER’S TIP:
This traditional Scottish pastry is a close relation to the Cornish pasty, despite being from opposite ends of Britain. Here, a simple filling of chopped or ground steak and onions is cooked in a crumbly pastry. As there are very few ingredients, it is worth using the best meat possible; I prefer finely chopped skirt steak.

Forfar Bridie Recipe