“Whether it’s the wild coast of Cornwall (first love of editor Karen), or the breathtaking beaches of Northumberland (my choice), I’m willing to bet everyone has some cherished memories of happy times spent at the British seaside. And no matter which one it was, we probably all ate the same food. Fish and chips, ice creams and lollies, crab sandwiches, the obligatory bag of fudge. We love them as they are, but we also thought it was time for an update, using the flavours from around the world that are now so wonderfully accessible in Britain. We hope you enjoy the tweaks. We aren’t saying they replace the originals, but we’re confident they’re every bit as good.” REBECCA WOOLLARD, FOOD EDITOR
TEAM FAVOURITE
Phoebe Stone, editorial and features assistant
“Creamy and aromatic but with a refreshing edge, the kulfi ice lollies are the perfect ending to a summer supper. The crushed pistachio base cleverly stops any drips being wasted, and provides a toothsome crunch.”
Beef empanadas
THE NEW PASTY
MAKES AROUND 15. HANDS-ON TIME 40 MIN, SIMMERING TIME 2½-3 HOURS, OVEN TIME 25-30 MIN
MAKE AHEAD
Make the pastry 24 hours ahead and the filling up to 48 hours ahead. Leave both chilling in the fridge. The unbaked or fully cooked empanadas will freeze for 1 month in freezer bags. If freezing unbaked, brush with glaze and cook from frozen, adding an extra 5-6 minutes to the cooking time. If freezing cooked, defrost thoroughly, then warm through in a medium oven for 20 minutes.
KNOW-HOW
These savoury pastries are popular all over South America and are thought to be related to Indian samosas, which came via Portuguese explorers. This pastry is a revelation – it feels like Play-Doh, and turns beautifully crisp and chewy once cooked. It’s also sturdy so you can be sure these delectable little snacks won’t break up on your journey to the beach.
FOOD TEAM’S TIP
Depending on which fat you use to make the pastry, you may need a little extra flour to get the dough to kneading consistency - about 25g should do it. It should feel soft, more like a dough than a pastry, so don’t be too enthusiastic about adding more.
FOR THE PASTRY
• 475ml boiling water
• 115g lard, butter or beef dripping, plus extra, melted, to glaze
• 1½ tsp fine salt
• 750g plain flour (see tip)
FOR THE FILLING
• Sunflower oil for frying
• 600g British beef shin, cut into small chunks
• Handful plain flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper, for dusting
• 200g cooking chorizo, cut into small cubes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp paprika (not smoked)