Crab pasty
This homemade pasty is filled with crab meat, cheese and veggies and served alongside a gribiche sauce made with egg. Perfect for luxe winter snacking.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 375g/13oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
- 35g/1¾oz unsalted butter, cold and diced
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú lard, cold and diced
- pinch sea salt
For the crab meat filling
- 1 onion, diced and cooked
- 1 large potato, peeled, diced and par-boiled
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú cheddar cheese
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú ²µ°ù³Ü²âè°ù±ð cheese
- 100g/3½oz white crab meat
- 100g/3½oz brown crab meat
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- 10g/â…“oz unsalted butter, softened
- 3 spring onions, chopped
- 1 free-range egg plus 1 egg yolk, to glaze
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the gribiche sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp capers, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- ½ tbsp chopped fresh chervil
- 2 hard-boiled free-range eggs, chopped
- 2–4 tbsp olive oil
Method
To make the pastry, place the flour, butter and lard into a large bowl along with a pinch of salt and rub together with your fingertips. Add 125–130ml/4–4½fl oz cold water, using just enough to bind the dough together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
To make the crab meat filling, mix the cooked onions, potatoes, cheeses, crab meat, chives, sweet smoked paprika, cayenne, crème fraiche, butter and spring onions. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the pastry from the fridge and dust a work surface with flour. Roll out the pastry to 1cm thick and cut two 20cm/8in circle. Add half the crab meat filling to the center of each pastry circle. Spoon over the crème fraîche and butter.
Beat together the egg and egg yolk, then use this to brush the edge of the pastry. Fold over in half and crimp the edges. Brush with more of the egg glaze and chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 6½.
Brush the pastry with the egg glaze again, then sprinkle with salt and cook for the pasties for 25–30 minutes until golden.
Meanwhile, make the dressing by mixing together all of the ingredients in a small bowl or jug. When the pasties are cooked, serve the dressing alongside.