This Michigan favorite, the pastie, has a flaky homemade crust stuffed with a simple filling of beef, potatoes, onions, carrots, and turnips. Serve these under the troll bridge pasties with brown gravy. The perfect handheld meal!
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In an effort to include a little more Michigan into the blog, I decided to search out some authentic ‘Michigan’ loved food. I came across a great article from Only In Your State called 10 Iconic Foods Made in Michigan and #3 on this list was the pastie. So like when I wanted to make the Michigan Hot Dog (which isn’t even from Michigan!) I put in the work and set off to find out how to make one.
When looking around to get a basic idea of how to make these I found the blog Foodie with Family and her recipe for Yooper Pasties. In the post, she defined residents of the Lower Peninsula as ‘Trolls’. I also found out that while the pastie is generally served plain or with ketchup ‘Trolls’ usually prefer them with gravy. So what better name to call these than ‘Under the Troll Bridge Pasties’.
What beer pairs well with pasties with brown gravy?
The beer: Bell’s Lager of the Lakes from Bell’s Brewery
For tonight’s Mitten Movie Night we are drinking this delicious Bohemian-style lager. While these pasties aren’t bland, the filling isn’t full of bold flavors either but the addition of the flaky, buttery crust on the outside and covering it in beefy gravy means a pairing like this light & crisp beer is key. No element overpowers the other so this makes a great pairing.
What show pairs well with Under the Troll Bridge pasties and craft beer?
I really don’t have anything on deck to watch since we are in the middle of about 3 series: Sneaky Pete (Giovanni Ribisi is awesome in this), Santa Clarita Diet (who doesn’t love Drew Barrymore?), and Bates Motel (c-r-e-e-p-y) so we might just binge watch one of those to finish up the seasons we’re in the middle of.
For this, I used the same pastry dough that I made my Strawberry & Sesame Hand Pies with but doubled the recipe and substituted garlic powder for the sugar. It ended up being so flaky and buttery that I almost had to pat myself on the back for this creation.
Ingredients
These homemade ground beef pasties have-
- A dough made with flour, butter, water, and seasonings like garlic powder and salt
- Cooked ground beef with turnip, potato, celery, and onion for the filling
- Shredded Colby jack cheese
- Egg for brushing on top of the pastry dough before baking
- Brown gravy for serving
How to make under the troll bridge pasties step-by-step
Add all the ingredients into a mixer and let them come together into a ball. Place the ball onto some plastic wrap that has been lightly floured and put into the refrigerator for 1 hour.
What else can you stuff savory pastry dough with?
- Pizza pockets: salami, pepperoni, cheese, and marinara sauce.
- Ham and cheese hand pies: Black forest ham and cheddar cheese.
- Mashed potatoes and chives: Use leftover mashed potatoes, triple cheddar cheese, and chives.
- Grilled cheese: Just add cheese and bake. Perfect for kids!
There was not one rutabaga to be found at my local grocery store so I substituted a turnip. Felt I was okay since the recipes that I looked at had meat, potatoes, and root vegetables. Forgive me if I am playing fast and loose with the rule of the pastie, please know I had good intentions.
While the dough is chilling clean, peel and chop all your veggies. Sautee them in 1 Tbs butter to soften them then put them into a bowl.
Cook and drain the beef then add it to the vegetables.
Add salt and pepper to taste then let the vegetables and beef cool.
Roll and cut the dough out into large circles.
Add filling to one side then sprinkle with shredded cheese. After stuffing these full pinch the dough to crimp the edges so the filling doesn’t fall out.
Beat an egg and brush over the top of the pasty.
Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 25 minutes.
Prepare the gravy according to the package directions if you’re a troll like me.
Tips
- For cutting the circles, I used a cereal bowl and it worked out great to make 6 pasties.
- Make sure as noted above, let the vegetables and beef cool before stuffing the pasties. As I found out the hard way, if it’s too hot it will make the dough too sticky to work with once you start assembling the pasties.
More ground beef recipes
And here you are…..
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Under the Troll Bridge Pasties
Equipment
- stand mixer for making the dough
- medium sautee pan
- biscuit cutter
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups unbleached flour
- 1 cup butter cut into 1/2 Tbs sections
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 cup cold water adding 1/4 cup at a time
Filling
- 1/2 pound ground beef cooked and drained
- 1 small turnip cleaned, peeled and diced
- 1 potato cleaned, peeled and diced
- 1 carrot cleaned, peeled and diced
- 1 small white onion diced
- 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 1 package brown gravy mix cooked according to package directions
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 egg beaten
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Dough
- Add all the ingredients into a mixer and let them come together in a ball. Place the ball then onto some plastic wrap that has been lightly floured and put into the refrigerator for 1 hour.3 cups unbleached flour, 1 cup butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1/2 cup cold water
Filling
- While the dough is chilling clean, peel and chop all your veggies.1 small turnip, 1 potato, 1 carrot, 1 small white onion
- Sautee them in 1 Tbs butter to soften them then put them into a bowl.1 tablespoon butter
- Cook and drain the beef then add it to the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste then let the vegetables and beef cool.1/2 pound ground beef, salt and pepper to taste
- Roll and cut the dough out into large circles.
- Add filling to one side then sprinkle with shredded cheese.1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- After stuffing these full pinch the dough to crimp the edges.
- Beat an egg and brush over the top of the pastry. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 25 minutes.1 egg
- Prepare gravy mix to package directions. Serve on the side. Enjoy!1 package brown gravy mix
Notes
Tips for making this recipe:
- For cutting the circles, I used a cereal bowl and it worked out great to make 6 pasties.
- Make sure as noted above, let the vegetables and beef cool before stuffing the pasties. As I found out the hard way, if it’s too hot it will make the dough too sticky to work with once you start assembling the pasties.
- To store: add leftovers to a covered container and put them in the refrigertor. Eat within 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
Originally published in February of 2017. Updated photos & recipe October of 2020
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Last Updated on July 25, 2022 by Erin@BottomLeftoftheMitten
I really like your commentary. I also think that Bates Motel is creepy. I haven’t given the Drew Barrymore one a look yet, but will. These look delicious. And it’s a cute name. 🙂
Thank you so much :’) I just finished Santa Clarita Diet and hoping there is another season. Have a great day.
I never heard of pasties with gravy! Thanks for the information.
I’ve also never made my own… These do look tempting.
Great! Hope you enjoy. The gravy really did add a nice touch.
I love hearing about “classic” foods from different states! I went on a yearlong road trip last year and it was sort of my mission to seek out those dishes in the different states we visited. Didn’t make it up to Michigan, so I suppose making this pasty at home will have to do for now! (Good call on topping it with gravy!!)
I am a travel foodie too! My husband and I love picking a location then fining the best food of the area. And yes, the gravy is a must for the pastie. Have a great holiday weekend!!
Hi, my husband is from just east of the troll bridge and I’ve been visiting the area with him for almost 40 years, I have never heard of adding cheese as part of the filling in the pasties. Is this something that is done down state? Just curious and yes I am a Fudgie! LOL
I just guessed everything is better with cheese lol. I do prefer it with the cheese and added brown gravy for sure.