Buy some organic shortening and some light, natural flour along with potatos and any other veggies you want to include. Assuming this has been done previously, take a cube of shortening out of the refrigerator and set aside to soften while you chop vegetables.
Next chop potatoes (cube) into small pieces as desired. Do likewise for carrots, broccoli, apple, cheese, and any other ingredients you want to add. Put this in a dish to the side and add pepper, salt, butter, and any other spices you wish to embellish the dish with.
In a mixing bowl combine 1 cup to 1 and 1/2 cups of flour, about 4 to 5 tablespoons of shortening (about 1/4 cup), and 1/4 cup of preferably cold water. The shortening can be cut into slices prior to adding to the flour in the bowl so that it will be distributed more evenly more easily.
Knead this combined mixture with your hands until the flour begins to coalesce in your hands and come together in a nice, non-sticking, ball. It may start out sticky then add a little flour as necessary. It will stop sticking to your hands and become a workable, homogeneous, "clump."
Roll the dough ball out flat with a rolling pin. Grab some ingredients from your ingredient bowl and place them in the center of the pasty wrap. Wrap the dough around the ingredients and seal it by folding one end of the pasty wrap over another.
Grease a pyrex baking pan lightly to prevent sticking although this is usually not a problem, my preference ( 8 x 4 x 4 ). Preheat the oven to 375. Place the pasty in the baking pan. Place the pan in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.
Remove the pan from the oven and place pasty on a cutting board or plate to cool for 15 minutes or so. Then enjoy your healthy, cheap, quick, and tasty pasty.
Note: If frozen cook for an hour at 400 degrees. It is sort of a skill to get it just right and experimentation will help you to learn the technique which may be different for each chef depending upon personal preferences. This is my attempt to explain what has worked for me after months of attempts and fine tuning.
Edited briefly: ( 12/12/08 )
