Made with love

by Laura Kamergrauze & Ramona Ozoliņa

We all can agree that this is not the warmest and nicest time of the year - instead of spending 10 hours a day at the school, we would be willing to have a small holiday just to stop our routines for a bit, right? Although this is not what we can offer you, there is something very special that will add a little spark to your everyday. Not a secret, Ramona is this very special person who we can turn to at any time, who will never let us down when in need of something, and will just be happy to have a warm conversation with us that will definitely put a smile on our faces. We have found a way to pass on Ramona’s warmth and love to others. The following recipe will guide you through the instructions on how to cook love-filled pasties, originated by Ramona, that will provide you and your loved ones with an undeniable Taste of Home <3 :

Ingredients

4 cups flour 200 g butter 50 g baker’s yeast 1 cup milk 1 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 2-3 onions Black pepper Smoked meat (pork cheeks) 900 g 1 egg yolk for 24 pasties

Directions

W e start by sifting out flour - have the 4 cups without a heap. Place the flour into a large bowl.

Heat butter on a stove on low until it is fully melted. Then add milk at room temperature, as well as salt. When it is mixed, add it to the flour.

Stir baker’s yeast together with sugar - the two ingredients together should turn into a liquid. Pour it into the large bowl and stir the ingredients all together (flour, butter with milk and salt, baker’s yeast with sugar).

Mix the dough with your hands - if the previous steps are done correctly, the dough should not be sticky and you should not worry about it sticking to your hands. :) Create a ball from it and leave the dough in a refrigerator for 20 minutes - not a minute more, not a minute less.

Subsequently, roll out the dough with your hands into the form of a sausage. Then you can either use kitchen scales or measure it by eye - divide the dough’s sausage into 8, 10 or 12 parts:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Next, roll out every part of the dough into the form of sun - the diameter should be no less than 24 cm. After having it rolled out pretty thin, cut it into 8 parts.

1 2 8 3 Cut the onions into very small pieces and fry them until they turn golden (about 5 minutes). You can add a pinch of peppers, however, do not add any extra salt. Mix the onions together with the meat.

6 7

5

4

place the filling here

Brush each pasty all over with an egg yolk. Place the pasties on your oven pan - no need for baking paper. Usually you should fit 24 pasties (3 suns) on one oven pan. Bake them for 12-13 minutes, but definitely no more than 15 minutes at a temperature of no less than 200°C! Yes, you are done with the steps and can probably already feel the great smell in your kitchen coming straight from the oven! After having cut the sun into 8 parts, place the meat on each of the triangle’s widest end. Before starting to fold the triangle, first close up the two corners at the widest end. Then fold it once, close the corners, fold it again, close the corners… and so it goes until the pasty is fully closed. :D

Yes, you are done with the steps and can probably already feel the great smell in your kitchen coming straight from the oven!

Do not forget that you can also cut the number of ingredients in half and have the same great result in a half of the amount.

An end note from Ramona, the author of the lovely recipe:

Your loved ones will truly appreciate your pasties made with love - it will be a heart warming present at any celebration! Ram☺na