Vegetable pasties (cocarrois)

These popular vegetarian savoury pasties make for great picnic affair in the Balearics in Spain, made with any combination of local seasonal vegetables.

Credit: Rochelle Eagle

• serves

  9

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 100 g (3½ oz) lard or butter, at room temperature
• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 180 ml (6 fl oz) freshly squeezed orange juice
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting

Vegetable filling

• 300 g (10½ oz) silverbeet (Swiss chard), stalks removed, leaves finely chopped
• 200 g (7 oz) cauliflower florets, finely chopped
• 2 marinated artichoke hearts, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ bunch chives, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 tbsp raisins
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Chilling time: 25 minutes total

Instructions

1. Place the lard or butter and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached and beat until combined. Add the orange juice and salt and mix on medium speed for a few minutes to form a paste. Swap the whisk for the dough hook attachment, add the flour and knead for 4–5 minutes on medium speed until a dough forms. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll into a large log. Portion the dough into eighteen 75-g (2¾-oz) pieces and roll each one into a ball. Flatten the balls with the palms of your hands (grease your hands with a little oil if the dough is starting to stick) or use a rolling pin to create 12-cm (4¾-in) circles. Set aside on the prepared trays and place in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up slightly.
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling in a thick line along the left side of one dough circle. Brush the edge with a little water and fold the right side of dough over the filling. Pinch the dough all the way around to form a seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
5. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
6. Set the pasties aside on a wire rack to cool slightly and to allow the filling to continue cooking before serving. Eat warm or at room temperature on a hot day.

 

Recipes and images from Islas: Food of the Spanish Islands by Emma Warren, Smith Street Books, RRP $49.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.