Spicy Beef and Tomato Forfar Bridies

Chillies and tomato provide a tasty twist to Forfar bridies

Forfar bridies originated in the town of Forfar on the east coast of Scotland in the nineteenth century. They are traditionally made from shortcrust pastry and filled with minced (ground) beef steak and sometimes onion. As is often the case in modern times and particularly outside Forfar, the bridies in this recipe are made with puff or flaky pastry. The filling has also been adapted to include, as well as beef steak and onion, tomato and spicy chillies.

Minced Scotch beef

Ingredients (Makes 2 Large Bridies)

1/2 pound (225g) minced Scotch beef steak
Salt and pepper
1 medium to large tomato
2 small chillies
1/4 medium white onion
1/2 pound (225g) puff pastry
Flour for rolling pastry
1 egg
Vegetable oil for greasing baking tray or sheet

Tomato, chillies and onion

Directions

The puff pastry needs removing from the fridge about fifteen to twenty minutes before use for ease of rolling. This should therefore be done before you start preparing the filling for the bridies.

Diced vegetables in beef

Put the beef in to a large mixing bowl. Cut the tomato in half and scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp with a teaspoon. Top the chillies but removing the seeds is optional. Finely dice the tomato, chillies and onion and add to the bowl with the beef, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Spicy beef bridie filling

The easiest way to combine the filling ingredients is with your hands. Take your time and ensure everything is well and truly combined.

Cutting pastry discs for bridies

Lightly flour a clean dry working surface and your rolling pin. Cut the pastry block in half and roll the first half out in to a square just large enough and no more that you can use a nine inch (23.5cm) dinner plate as a template to cut from it a circle.

Filling is arranged on pastry

Take half the filling combination and arrange it on half the pastry circle as shown, being sure to leave a border of around one inch (2.5cm) at the edge. Try to make the filling thickest near the centre and slightly less thick as it approaches the edge.

Pastry is folded over filling

Break the egg in to a small bowl or cup and beat with a fork to combine. Use a pastry brush to lightly glaze the pastry border before folding the empty half of the pastry over the filling that the edges meet.

Pastry is carefully crimped around the edge

Carefully crimp the pastry all the way around the edge with your fingers, ensuring the package is sealed. Repeat the whole process from the stage of rolling out the pastry to form the second bridie. Leave them to let the worked pastry rest while your oven preheats to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.

Glazed bridies are ready for the oven

When the oven is heated, lightly oil a baking tray and lay the bridies on it before glazing all over with more beaten egg, being particularly attentive to the crimped folds. Don't forget to cut a steam vent in the top of each bridie before placing the tray in the oven for thirty to thrity-five minutes.

Bridies are taken from the oven and rested on a wire rack

When the bridies come out of the oven, lift them carefully with a spatula on to a wire rack and allow the to rest for fifteen minutes before serving.

Spicy beef and tomato Forfar bridie