Michigan Pasty Recipe

Michigan Pasty Recipe

Michigan Pasty are a traditional Upper Michigan specialty. It contains a crust filled with ground beef, ground pork, rutabaga, onions, potatoes, and carrots. The filling is usually seasoned only with salt and pepper, while the skin is made with flour, salt, water, and butter.

These pasties are often served with dipping sauce - there is still debate about what to dip - either ketchup or gravy. Let's make it with a simple recipe that we can try to make at home, the Michigan Pasty Recipe below:

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
• 1 cup shortening or lard
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup ice cold water
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 4 ounces rutabaga, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 small russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/4 cup picked fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg, whisked
• Ketchup, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
   
2. Add the flour, shortening and a pinch of salt to a food processor and run the motor until the dough starts to clump together. With the motor running, drizzle in the water. Stop the motor when a ball begins to form. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour. This step allows the glutens to relax and makes for easier rolling. 
   
   
3. Mix together the beef, rutabaga, carrots, onions, potatoes and parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to form the pies. 
   
   
4. Cut the dough into 6 even pieces, about 5 ounces each, and form into balls. Make sure the dough is cold for easier handling. Flour a work surface and roll out each ball of dough into an 8-inch circle. Evenly divide the filling (about 3/4 cup per pastie) on one half of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to cover the mixture and crimp the edges using a fork. Slice 3 small slits on top of each pocket.
   
   
5. This prevents steam from building up and splitting the dough. Brush the pasties with the egg and bake on the prepared baking sheet until the crust is golden brown and flaky, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Serve with ketchup.
   
   

Cook’s Note