Tuna Dinner Pastries

I knew Shane and I would like these tuna pocket pastries, but I didn't think Kat would even try them. What a surprise! She ate two of them!

The original recipe, called Tuna Pastry, is from Jonni McCoy's book Miserly Meals. She lists the cost at 22¢ per serving as of 2002. I used white albacore tuna (just 99¢ a can at Aldi) because I prefer it over chunk light tuna, added a couple tablespoons of Ranch dressing, and I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the white flour. Even at that, I estimate these to come to less than 70¢ per serving (2 pastries). I also have enough filling left over for a tuna sandwich for tomorrow's lunch.


Tuna Dinner Pastries

Filling:

2 6-ounce cans albacore tuna, drained
1/4 cup diced celery
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons diced onion
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or vinegar)
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dough:

2 cups flour (I used 1 cup white, 1 cup whole wheat)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
3/4 cup milk

Mix all of the ingredients for the filling in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In bowl of food processor*, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. With processor running, drop butter cubes in one at a time until well incorporated. With processor continuing to run, gradually pour in milk. Continue to process until dough forms a ball that cleans the sides of the bowl.

Roll dough out to a 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 16 to 20 circles, using 3-inch cookie cutter or rim of a glass. Place half of the rounds on an ungreased cookie sheet. Top each round with a mound of filling (I used a small ice cream scoop, about 1/8 cup or so). Top each tuna mound with another round of dough, pressing down lightly and crimping edges with fork to seal.

Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes 8 to 10 tuna pockets.

* If you don't have a food processor, combine dry ingredients, cut in butter with pastry blender, and stir milk in with a fork until dough forms.