Tatws Popty

Tatws Popty is one of those dishes that doesn't have a definitive recipe. Everyone's family has a recipe, passed down from generation to generation, and they vary so much. Some use beef, some use lamb, some use pork. Some add vegetables, some don't. Our family recipe was always - braising steak, onions, potatoes. Nothing more, nothing less. And then somehow it evolved to use a breast of lamb, cut into ribs. I found out from my mother that this was how my auntie, her sister in law, used to make it. So, I grew up eating both of these versions of the dish. They are both amazing, but obviously for Slimming World purposes, lean braising steak was better than fatty breast of lamb!

The dish really is so simple. I can't really give you a recipe, or timings, it depends on your appetite and how many you're cooking for. I cut up and fried two large pieces of braising steak, just to seal it, and put it in a deep roasting tin. I added a little water, two sliced onions, seasoned with salt and pepper and added some gravy browning. I covered the tin with foil and I cooked this for about an hour, before adding my potatoes (dusted with a little flour) and more water. 

Then you just cover it up again and put it in the oven. Do keep checking the water levels though. Leave for a couple of hours, I had mine on Gas Mark 3. Remove the foil to let the potatoes crisp up slightly. They should be slightly submerged in the gravy, so they're soft on the bottom but crispy on top. You don't need any stock, but some people do add it. I served ours with carrot and swede mash. 

My back and my hip have been giving me some trouble today, but I did manage to at least get the bacon and cheese turnovers made as well. The prices that you pay for these individually, it's a bit of a no brainer. These cost me roughly £2 to make, and that's for six. 

I froze them on a baking sheet before putting them into an airtight container. Really handy for a quick breakfast or brunch for one of the kids. Just a little egg wash, bang in the oven and they're ready in no time. They love them. So do I but - pastry :-( They're also really good made with pepperoni and mozzarella; just spread a little watered down tomato puree and herbs on the pastry first, I usually use oregano, layer the pepperoni (or chorizo or salami) and then cheese. 

Mr G has just gone off to work, his first shift since the announcement of job losses. Hoping that he can find out something from whoever hands over to him today. The uncertainty is crap, we're trying not to worry and take a whatever will be approach, because at the end of the day, there's bigger things to worry about right now, like not dying :-) As long as there's a roof over our head, running water, heating and food for my children, I'm happy.