If you have never went North and explored the upper reaches of our great state, you have missed out on simple dining pleasure, the pasty. Pasties are a small dinner all packed into one item. Originally popular with the miners of Northern Michigan for lunches at work, they have spun out into roadside stands, taverns and fancy sit down places to eat. Eat them plain, or with gravy, ketchup or A-1 Steak Sauce. The last being my personal favorite.
Made with a pie crust (or something similiar), the tradional pasty contains beef, potatoes, rutabaga, onions and carrots. Here is a new twist that is easy to make, a little better for you and will help clean out the fridge after one of those wonderful fish dinners.
I have been playing in the kitchen for years, love to cook, grill and bbq anything that will stand still. I came up this little gem a few years ago when I realized I was out of beef and chicken (another meat that can be used).
Here is what you need to make your own fish pasty;
Jiffy Biscuit mix, potatoes, onion, frozen corn, celery and some leftover fish fillets, or fresh, and seasoning.
First cube up the spuds and boil, this takes the longest so start it first. Then either flake off some of the fried fish, or bake it in the oven, and then flake. Take the onion and slice and dice, the same with the celery. Set out a couple of cups of frozen corn. I like the Jiffy mix for a couple of reasons. First of all its just easy to mix up. Second of all, did doesnt contain any of the lard that the traditional dough is made with, last of all, it fluffs up. Like a dinner in a biscuit. Also makes better suited if you decide to make a gravy for it. A seasoned milk gravy works, and maybe Dave (The Luna Pier Chef) could suggest another recipe’ with fancy cream or something.
For dinner for two, follow the basic recipe. You can get two good sized pasties out of the mix. For more, double or triple up.
So mix up the dough, and roll out like a homemade pizza calzone/pizza pocket. Spoon in your potatoes, seasoning (just salt and pepper if you like), then the fish and veggies. Fold over and crimp. You can place on cookie baking tray thats been sprayed with olive oil or non stick cooking spray.
Bake in the oven @ 375 or 400 degrees, until the biscuit dough looks nice and browned. Nothing scientific about it, everything is already cooked inside. The hot cubes of potatoes will steam the veggies while it bakes, and a fair amount of moisture is in the onion and celery. It won’t be dried out, but then again, thats why some folks like the gravy on top.
I’ve done this with perch, crappie, bluegill, walleye and pike. If you dont feel like fishing for your dinner, Alaskan Pollack is good subsitute in the oven.
Its a good healthy twist on a Michigan favorite (minus the gravy) and just plain good to eat.
