Spinach and Cheese Pasties

I know I should have got a shot of the filling too, but I was in a hurry and using my phone...

I made 7 pasties from this recipe, but it will vary according to the thickness of the pastry you roll out and the size of your circles.Shortcrust pastry made with 250g salted butter and 250g each of wholemeal and white flour

400g Cheddar cheese
A carrier bagful of fresh leaf spinach
Salt, hing, black pepper and paprika to taste (hing helps you digest greens)
A large handful of porridge oats (if needed)
I made 7 pasties from this recipe, but it will vary according to the thickness of the pastry you roll out and the size of your circles.

• First make the pastry and leave to chill
• To make the filling, wash the spinach and cook until soft in only the water left on the leaves after washing; DO NOT let it get too wet! (Like I did...!)
• Cube the cheese and stir in with the seasonings, breaking the mixture down as you stir.
• At this point, if it seems too soggy to use, either forget the pasties and make a pie in a pie dish, or you can rescue it with a handful of oats. If you leave it a few minutes after mixing the oats in, they should absorb the excess moisture. The one thing you don't want to do is drain that liquid off, as it contains most of the nutrients from the spinach.
• Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and use something like an upturned plate or bowl as a guide for cutting the rounds.
• Put a generous dollop of filling into each circle, wet the edges and pull up the sides, crimping with finger and thumb to seal it up in a pasty shape. (My pasties in the picture were left before being put in the oven, which is probably why they flattened out a bit.)
• These are great served with salad and a spicy relish/ chutney. My family tell me that they work better hot than cold though, so choose another filling for picnic or lunchbox pasties!