Introduction: Bedfordshire Clangers
I first learned about these pies when my husband and I were watching a British tv show. The Bedfordshire Clanger is a hand held pastry made in the 19th century England for Farm Laborers. Traditional they were made with a suet pastry and have one end filled with a savory filling and the other with a sweet jam one. So the two filling don’t mix there is a pastry wall blocking any flavours from mixing.
The name may réfère to its dense consistency. 19th century English Dialect recorded the phrase « Clung Dumplings » from Bedfordshire, citing clanging is an adjective meaning heavy.
I made a flakey pastry for the base of my Clanger and filled it with 1/3 sweet apple filling and for the savoury side is sausage and leak.
This recipe makes 10 Clangers.
The name may réfère to its dense consistency. 19th century English Dialect recorded the phrase « Clung Dumplings » from Bedfordshire, citing clanging is an adjective meaning heavy.
I made a flakey pastry for the base of my Clanger and filled it with 1/3 sweet apple filling and for the savoury side is sausage and leak.
This recipe makes 10 Clangers.
Supplies
For the Pie Pastry
- 2 3/4 cup Flour
- 1/2 lb Shortening
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 TBSP Vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- Pastry Cutter
- Rolling Pin
For the Savoury Filling
- 3 Sausages - Any flavour . I used Bratwurst.
- Butter
- 1 Leek 1/3 green part, all of the white part chopped
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1/2 TBSP Dried Sage Leaves
- 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
- Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- 1/2 cup Chicken Stock
- 1/2 cup Apple juice
For the Sweet Filling
- 3 Apples peeled, cored and diced
- 25g Brown Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- 1 TBSP Water
- 1 Vanilla Bean - open and scraped
- 2 3/4 cup Flour
- 1/2 lb Shortening
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 TBSP Vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- Pastry Cutter
- Rolling Pin
For the Savoury Filling
- 3 Sausages - Any flavour . I used Bratwurst.
- Butter
- 1 Leek 1/3 green part, all of the white part chopped
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1/2 TBSP Dried Sage Leaves
- 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
- Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- 1/2 cup Chicken Stock
- 1/2 cup Apple juice
For the Sweet Filling
- 3 Apples peeled, cored and diced
- 25g Brown Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- 1 TBSP Water
- 1 Vanilla Bean - open and scraped
Step 1: Making the Pastry
- For this section you will need flour, salt, egg, shortening and vinegar.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt, stir.
- Add the shortening.
- Using a Pastry cutter or two forks, cut in the shortening until it looks resembles peas like shapes.
- Using a small glass measure and the egg and vinegar, beat well with a fork.
- Add enough cold water to equal 1 cup.
- Add small amounts of liquid to the flour mixture stirring with the fork until a soft dough comes together.
- Using your hands kneed the dough into a ball.
- Divide the dough into two smaller balls.
- Wrap the balls in Saran Wrap or Cling film.
- Chill the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt, stir.
- Add the shortening.
- Using a Pastry cutter or two forks, cut in the shortening until it looks resembles peas like shapes.
- Using a small glass measure and the egg and vinegar, beat well with a fork.
- Add enough cold water to equal 1 cup.
- Add small amounts of liquid to the flour mixture stirring with the fork until a soft dough comes together.
- Using your hands kneed the dough into a ball.
- Divide the dough into two smaller balls.
- Wrap the balls in Saran Wrap or Cling film.
- Chill the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.
Step 2: Prepping the Sausages.
- Preheat your oven to 375*.
- Using your kitchen scissors, cut each sausage casting length wise like a hotdog.
- Time to get messy, using your hands pull out the sausage meat removing the casting.
- Place the sausage meat onto a plate.
- Using your kitchen scissors, cut each sausage casting length wise like a hotdog.
- Time to get messy, using your hands pull out the sausage meat removing the casting.
- Place the sausage meat onto a plate.
Step 3: Making the Savoury Filling
- For this section you will need the meat from 3 sausages, zest of one lemon, 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 apple juice, 1 leek, dried rosemary, dried sage, pepper, kosher salt and butter.
- On medium heat place about 1 TBSP of butter into a large saucepan.
- Allow the butter to melt before placing the sausage into the pan.
- Cook for several minutes before seasoning with the dried herbs, salt and pepper.
- Cook until the meat is no longer pink.
- Add the leeks. Cook until soft.
- Add the zest of one lemon, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add your chicken broth and your apple juice.
- Stir well
- Cook until the liquid reduces, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest while you work on the sweet filling.
- On medium heat place about 1 TBSP of butter into a large saucepan.
- Allow the butter to melt before placing the sausage into the pan.
- Cook for several minutes before seasoning with the dried herbs, salt and pepper.
- Cook until the meat is no longer pink.
- Add the leeks. Cook until soft.
- Add the zest of one lemon, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add your chicken broth and your apple juice.
- Stir well
- Cook until the liquid reduces, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest while you work on the sweet filling.
Step 4: Making the Sweet Filling
- For this section you will need 3 apples peeled and diced, vanilla bean, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, salt and butter.
- On medium heat place about 1 TBSP of butter into a large saucepan.
- Allow the butter to melt before placing the apples into the pan.
- Cook the apples for several minutes before adding the cinnamon and pinch of salt.
- Stir well.
- Add the TBSP of water, cook for several minutes.
- Time to scrape your vanilla bean - using a small pairing knife, slice the bean in half.
- Open the bean and scrape it out using the tip of the knife.
- Place the black paste onto the apples and stir well.
- Don’t worry if you see little black specs, they are the vanilla bean.
- Cook the apples until semi soft.
- Remove from the heat and allow to rest.
- On medium heat place about 1 TBSP of butter into a large saucepan.
- Allow the butter to melt before placing the apples into the pan.
- Cook the apples for several minutes before adding the cinnamon and pinch of salt.
- Stir well.
- Add the TBSP of water, cook for several minutes.
- Time to scrape your vanilla bean - using a small pairing knife, slice the bean in half.
- Open the bean and scrape it out using the tip of the knife.
- Place the black paste onto the apples and stir well.
- Don’t worry if you see little black specs, they are the vanilla bean.
- Cook the apples until semi soft.
- Remove from the heat and allow to rest.
Step 5: Assemble the Clangers
- Place your savoury and sweet filling in two different bowls.
- Take your pastry out of the fridge.
- Lightly dust your surface with flour before rolling out your pastry with your rolling pin.
- Roll out each Clanger so it is a 10 x 5 inches rectangle.
- Getting a small piece of dough, roll it between your hands into a log.
- Set aside.
- Using a pastry brush, brush a little bit of water on 1/3 of the rectangle.
- Place the dough that you just rolled into a log onto the wet surface. Pinch down the sides of the pastry log.
- Place the sweet filling on the 1/3 of the rectangle.
- Filling the other side with the savoury filling.
- Using a pastry brush, place water along the edges of the Clanger.
- Taking one side of the Clanger, fold the pastry over pressing down the edge.
- Ensure that all the edges along the Clanger are secure.
- Using a small pairing knife, make 5 or 6 small slits.
- Place parchment paper on top of a baking sheet.
- Place Clangers onto the parchment paper.
- Depending on the size of your sheet, you may only get 3 or 4 pies per sheet.
- Remember not to crowd the Clangers.
- Take your pastry out of the fridge.
- Lightly dust your surface with flour before rolling out your pastry with your rolling pin.
- Roll out each Clanger so it is a 10 x 5 inches rectangle.
- Getting a small piece of dough, roll it between your hands into a log.
- Set aside.
- Using a pastry brush, brush a little bit of water on 1/3 of the rectangle.
- Place the dough that you just rolled into a log onto the wet surface. Pinch down the sides of the pastry log.
- Place the sweet filling on the 1/3 of the rectangle.
- Filling the other side with the savoury filling.
- Using a pastry brush, place water along the edges of the Clanger.
- Taking one side of the Clanger, fold the pastry over pressing down the edge.
- Ensure that all the edges along the Clanger are secure.
- Using a small pairing knife, make 5 or 6 small slits.
- Place parchment paper on top of a baking sheet.
- Place Clangers onto the parchment paper.
- Depending on the size of your sheet, you may only get 3 or 4 pies per sheet.
- Remember not to crowd the Clangers.
Step 6: Bake Time
- Place your Clangers into your warm oven.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes.
- When they are done baking, remove from baking sheet and place onto a cooling rack.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes.
- When they are done baking, remove from baking sheet and place onto a cooling rack.
Step 7: Let’s Eat.
- The Clangers are best served warm.
- You can reheat them in the oven or microwave.
- Refrigerate left over Clangers.
- Enjoy this unique pie!
- You can reheat them in the oven or microwave.
- Refrigerate left over Clangers.
- Enjoy this unique pie!