Name: Mexican pastry plait
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: serving
Cuisine: Bake
Ingredients: 1 red onion finely diced; 1 garlic cloves, minced; 1 peppers red and yellow; 500 g beef mince lean; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes red; 1/2 tsp paprika smoked; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup stock beef, weak; 45 ml chutney fruit; 1 cup cheese manchego, cheddar, grated; 400 g puff pastry; eggs beaten with water; 1 poppy seeds

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Ingredients (15)

1	red onion — finely diced
1	garlic — cloves, minced
1	peppers — red and yellow
500 g	beef mince — lean
1 tsp	dried oregano
1 tsp	cumin
1/2 tsp	dried chilli flakes — red
1/2 tsp	paprika — smoked
1 tsp	Dijon mustard
1/2 cup	stock — beef, weak
45 ml	chutney — fruit
1 cup	cheese — manchego, cheddar, grated
400 g	puff pastry
	eggs — beaten with water
1	poppy seeds

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Method:

Preheat the oven to 200º C.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion, garlic and sweet peppers for about 8 minutes. The onions should be soft and translucent. Add the mince and brown until the meat starts to catch on the bottom of the pan, making a dry scratching sound. This step is essential to intensify the flavours and natural sugars of the meat. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the oregano, cumin, chilli flakes, paprika and mustard. Stir the spices through before adding the stock and chutney. Place the lid on and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Add the grated cheese and stir through to combine. On a well floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 3mm thickness. Place the pastry onto the parchment paper. Trim the edges so that you have a neat rectangle of about 30 x 45 cm. Visually, divide the rectangle into three down the length of the pastry. On the two outer edges, cut 2.5cm strips at a slight angle, leaving the centre piece intact. Place the filling neatly down the centre. Start by plaiting the pastry from the top, overlapping as you move downwards. Fold, tuck and seal the open ends with a little water.

Transfer the pastry onto the baking sheet. Brush the pie surface with the egg wash and scatter over the poppy seeds. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp. Allow to cool for several minutes before slicing with a serrated knife. Serve with roasted vegetables or a mixed green garden salad.

Tip: To freeze, complete up to the final sealing of pastry edges. Brush with egg wash before baking.

Recipe reprinted with permission of Bibby’s Kitchen@36.

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