In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.

Add the cold butter and shortening. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the fat into the flour until the mixture looks crumbly with pea-sized pieces.

Slowly add the ice water a little at a time, mixing gently until the dough comes together.

Try not to overmix here. The first time I made this dough, I kept kneading because it looked messy. That made the pastry tougher than I wanted.

Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

While the dough chills, prepare the filling.

Dice the beef, potatoes, rutabaga, and onion into small pieces. Try to keep everything roughly the same size so it cooks evenly.

Place everything into a large bowl and season with salt, black pepper, and thyme.

Mix well with your hands or a spoon.

I noticed that seasoning the raw filling thoroughly before assembling makes a huge difference. Bland pasties are disappointing.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lightly flour your counter and roll out the chilled dough until it’s about 1/8-inch thick.

Cut large circles about 8 to 9 inches wide. I usually use a dinner plate as a guide because I never remember where my pastry cutter went.

You should get about 6 circles total.

Place a generous scoop of filling on one half of each dough circle.

Leave about a 1-inch border around the edges.

Top each filling pile with a small piece of butter.

Be careful not to overfill them. I know it’s tempting. One of mine exploded open once and leaked juices everywhere.

Brush a little water around the edges of the dough.

Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape.

Press the edges together firmly.

Now crimp the edges by folding and twisting the dough along the seam. It doesn’t have to look perfect.

Honestly, homemade pasties are supposed to look a little rustic.

Place the finished pasties onto the lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops of the pasties with beaten egg.

Cut a tiny slit in the top of each one to let steam escape.

The egg wash gives them that deep golden color after baking.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown.

The pastry should look crisp and deeply golden, especially around the crimped edges.

You’ll probably smell buttery pastry before they’re fully done. That’s usually when I start checking them.

If the bottoms seem too pale, bake for another few minutes.

Let the pasties cool for about 10 minutes before eating.

The filling inside stays really hot at first. I burned my mouth the first time because I got impatient.

Serve warm.