Extinction – Mini Chicken, Leek and Blue Cheese Pasties | Cafe Campana - Another Sydney Food & Cooking Blog | Cafe Campana

We all get a little sad when we hear of animal species on the cusp of extinction. Often this can be due to the influence of humans in over fishing, hunting or destroying their natural environment. We are reminded that once the damage has been done it cannot be reversed and we will have lost something of value for ever and the only place we will see these animals, fish, birds or insects is in a museum or a text book.

The same occurs with food. Mass produced and low quality food threatens the rich culinary culture of many countries. If people do not learn to cook the recipes, capture the experiences and the food culture will not be passed to the next generation and effectively dies. The only place we can learn of these foods and traditions is through food. Effectively resulting in culinary extinction.

Many people are acutely aware of these phenomena and actively learn their families or cultures recipes. Blogs such as thefoodblog and groups like Kulinarya Cooking Club also share these experiences. The rise of shows like Food Safari, My family Feast, MasterChef and the Cook and the Chef to name a few, truly reflect the communities interest and desire to understand food from both their own and different cultures. In Australia we have a very interesting food culture whereby there are very little home grown recipes, instead we have adopted the dishes of migrants so it is very dynamic.

I feel food blogging is the latest evolution in the food world. The internet provides a great medium to share ideas, photos, recipes and comments. There are some great blogs that celebrate food from their families or experimentation and others that are sharing the foodie explorations. The diversity is amazing.

I find it interesting that every six months or so one of the mainstream news papers runs a story that is highly critical of food bloggers. The tone of the story usually insinuates that because bloggers are amateurs somehow their opinions, ideas and observations are somehow less valid than that of a seasoned professional. I find this concept quite hard to swallow. Food blogging is about passion, learning and community. Mass produced magazines and news papers often lack these essential elements.

One food that is facing extinction is the humble pasty. Most of these I have tasted are lack flavour and have the texture of a wet sponge. I really don’t enjoy them and therefore I never eat them. One day this all changed for me. I was travelling in the UK and was walking through a market in Oxford. It was an amazing experience. The market had all sorts of foods including a hundred turkeys hanging up on the wall in preparation for Christmas, a wild boar and I even saw a pheasant plucker. That day one thing I ate was a pasty. They had a small bakery that only cooked pasties. I had the Chicken and Stilton pasty and the taste was amazing. Four years on and I can still remember this little pocket of flavour.

I have attempted to make my interpretation of this pasty. The flavour is quite rich so I recommend making them in fun size.

Mini Chicken, Leek and Blue Cheese Pasties
Makes 18 Ingredients
1 tbsp	Butter
2	Leeks, washed and finely sliced
500g	Chicken thighs, chopped into small cubes
½ cup	Apple cider
3	Potatoes, medium sized. Peeled and chopped into small cubes
125g	Blue cheese, crumbled into small pieces
5	Puff pastry sheets
1	Egg, beaten
Method
Over a low heat melt butter in a fry pan and sauté leeks until soft but not browned (approximately 5-10 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside. Increase heat to medium and brown chicken (in batches if necessary). Deglaze pan with cider and add leeks and potatoes to the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are soft and liquid has evaporated. Remove pan from the stove and stir through cheese. Cut puff pastry into circles approximately 8 cm in diameter. Spoon one tablespoon of meat onto each circle and fold over to party to form a pasty shape. Seal the edges using a fork and glaze the top of the pasties with egg. Bake in a moderate oven (180°c with fan) for 20-25 mins until golden brown.

Be Sociable, Share!

15 comments

john@heneedsfood says:

Jul 8, 2010

Blue cheese in anything is a winner for me. These sound delicious

Forager @ The Gourmet Forager says:

These look like great little afternoon snacks and I love the use of cider in the recipe. And I agree with you, through the blogger community we recipes from going extinct!

mademoiselle délicieuse says:

Hear, hear! I agree, Mark, we don’t claim to be experts ever, but we do make a claim on passion and persistence.

I love a good pastie – like a pie, but so much easier to eat and balance with one hand.

Amy @ cookbookmaniac says:

I totally agree with you. I do not understand the mentality behind all this negativity. Most food blogs are driven by passion and are harmless. I guess jealousy drives people to say unreasonable things.

Your pasty looks yummy. I totally see myself burning the roof of my mouth with this.

angie says:

Ooo these sound delish! I have bought pasties and have always been disappointed like you so avoid them. I guess home made is the way to go!

Ladybird says:

Jul 11, 2010

Mark, I totally agree with you… The tone of such articles is usually very disappointing and totally overlooks many of the positive aspects of food blogging

These pasties look good. I did something with leek and cheese recently too Yummy!

Maria says:

Jul 12, 2010

I also agree with you, we are just a bunch of harmless, passionate people! Yummo for the pasties!!

Leona @ pigged-out.com says:

Jul 13, 2010

Your right, food bloggers have evolved so rapidly over the past year and i assume professional food critics and chefs feel intimidated by our little community. Who are they to say our oppinions and taste buds aren’t valid just as much as theirs. Disappointing in deed.

Man your pastry looks yum and leek and chicken are meant to be married ^_^ looks so buttery and tasty and that’s how I like it! Glad you brought back a dish that was on the verge of being extinct. Thats what blogs lack sometimes, getting back to traditional food. These days everything seems to be fusion with a fancy twist. <3 <3 <3

Anh says:

Jul 15, 2010

I say forget the negativity. It exists, but the positive force is so much more~. I love this mini pasties. A new combo for me!

Sarah @ For the Love of Food says:

I agree with the sadness of people only knowing food in pre-packaged format – generally very low on quality and bland flavours. I didn’t know there was such negativity about food bloggers – must have done something right if the mainstream critics/press feel the need to bag us

These little pasties sound extremely tasty. Just yesterday I was in the Barossa having lunch with my Mum at a little place called Nosh where we had the most divine chicken and leek pies made with Careme pastry – what a lunch

tigerfish says:

Jul 18, 2010

I want some now! I am so hungry and it is still an hour to dinner :O

Lydia says:

Hi Mark: Yes, we foodies learn because of our passion for cooking and dogged perseverance. Trial and error are our teachers. Agree though sometimes chemistry, especially in baking, plays an important part and a professional will know the answer.
Love your pasties, got to try them. Reminds me of the famous Felities Chicken Patties in Colaba, Bombay. A chef friend of mine from India told me how to make them.
Here’s how the filling is made:
Boil chicken breasts in about two cups of water. To flavor add an onion cut in quarters. Ginger and garlic slivers. A chopped green chilli, and salt.
Remove the chicken breasts when done. Dice fine or shred. Strain the stock and make a white sauce with it — butter and flour. Season again with nutmeg and white or black pepper. Here, you can cheese if you like and sliced almonds.
Pastry: Puff Pastry
Line mini tart pans with circles of puff pastry. Fill with chicken filling. Brush the top of the pastry circles with a little egg wash. Put a puff pastry lid on and lightly press to secure. Insert a slit or two for steam to escape. Brush with egg wash for a nice glace and bake in a 375F oven till done.
They were delicious and vanished.
I like them open faced too with a cream cheese pastry. When done garnish with a hint of paprika and a corriander leaf for color. This way, you can bake the shells in advance and fill at the eleventh hour.