Forfar Bridies - Hot Or Cold Water Pastry

[Ragsy1]

When making a Forfar Bridie, should the water to be used for the pastry be hot or cold?

[jack daniels]

Forfar Bridie

Ingredients

- One-and-a-half lbs boneless, lean rump steak or lean minced beef (700g).
- 2 oz suet or butter or margarine (2 tablespoons).
- 2 finely chopped onions.
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder.
- quarter cup rich beef stock (or 1 cube).
- salt and pepper to taste.
- One-and-a-half lbs flaky pastry (home made or packet mix)

Method

* Remove fat or gristle from the meat and beat with a meat hammer or rolling pin.
* Cut into half-inch pieces (1cm).
* Place pieces in a medium bowl (some cooks brown them in the suet first).
* Add salt/pepper, mustard, onion, suet/butter/margarine and stock - mix well.
* Divide the pastry into six equal portions.
* Divide the meat mixture into six equal portions.
* Roll each pastry portion to a six inch circle about quarter inch thick.
* Place a portion of the meat mixture in the centre of the pastry circle.
* Leave an edge of pastry showing all round.
* Brush the outer edge of the pastry circle with water and fold up to the top.
* Crimp the edges together well.
* The crimped edges should be at the top of each bridie.
* Make a small slit in the top to let out any steam.
* Place the bridies on a square baking tray brushed with oil.
* Place in a pre-heated oven at GasMark8/450F/230C for 15 minutes.
* Then reduce the temperature to GasMark4/350F/180C and cook for another 45 minutes.

The Bridies should be golden brown.
If they are getting too dark, cover with greaseproof paper / foil.

[Ragsy1]

Thanks JD, however I know the recipe, but there are two people at loggerheads, as to whether the pastry is made with hot or cold water, and I was trying to find an answer to settle it once and for all

[jack daniels]

sorry hun - personally pastry is made with everything kept chilled, hence cold butter, using fingertips for 'rubbing in' etc. You even chill it in the fridge before cooking & so I would think it needs to be cold

[heathfield]

You can make them with hot or cold water pastry, shortcrust, or even puff pastry, but if you want the same kind of hard texture as in 'Scotch pies', you'd use the cold water recipe. This is the most traditional way, giving more of a crunch as you bite into it. (The most popular sold in Forfar are McLaren's, but they use a shortcrust pastry, which I don't really care for).