Bedfordshire Clanger is a traditional English recipe (from Bedfordshire) for a classic pasty filled with separate pork and sweet apple fillings. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic English version of: Bedfordshire Clanger.
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The clanger is Bedfordshire's answer to the Cornish pasty. Traditionally, as here, it's made with suet crust pastry filled with a separate savoury pork and sweet apple fillings.
Ingredients:
For the Suet Crust Pastry:
225g self-raising flour
8 tbsp cold water
115g shredded beef suet
pinch of salt
For the Savoury Pork Filling:
1 small onion, finely diced
115g minced pork or ham
1 tsp dried sage, crumbled
1 small potato, peeled and finely diced
1 tbsp oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
For the Sweet Apple Filling:
2 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp raisins or sultanas
1 tsp lemon juice
Method:
For the pastry, combine the flour and suet in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly to combine then slowly blend in the water to yield a firm but soft dough. Turn this out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic (the surface should be glossy). From into a ball, cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before use.
For the pork filling, bring a pan of water to a boil. Add the potato and cook for about 10 minutes, or until tender then drain. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry gently for about 6 minutes, or until soft and golden brown. Add the pork (or ham) and fry gently for 5 minutes then take off the heat and mix in the cooked potatoes and the sage. Season to taste with salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then set aside.
For the apple filling: Combine the apple pieces with the sugar, raisins (or sultanas) and lemon juice in a bowl.
When ready to assemble, remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Divide the pastry in half then roll each half into an oblong about 5mm thick. Cut a piece of pastry from the shorter edge (about 1cm wide) and roll into a sausage shape (keep it the same length). Sit the roll you made in the centre of one of the pieces of pastry. This forms a wall to keep the sweet and savoury fillings apart. Set the roll about 1/3 of the way in from one edge so that you have a large and a smaller division on each piece of pastry. Now divide the meat mixture between the two pieces of pastry, setting it on half of the larger division. Repeat this process with the apple filling, setting it on half the smaller portion.
Using milk or egg brush around the edges of the pastry and over the divider. Now fold the uncovered portion of each pastry over the covered side and crimp the edges sealed. Also press down on the divider to seal. Prick the top of the pastry with the tines of a fork then carefully transfer to a greased baking tray. Brush the top of each clanger with beaten egg to glaze.
Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 210°C and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C and continue baking for 30 minutes more. These clangers can be served either hot or cold.
