Potato Pastry

First make some mash. Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks of about 3cm. Put them in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 10–15 minutes or until very tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander, tip them back into the saucepan and leave them to dry out for a while – the drier

they are the better. Mash until smooth – don’t add any butter or milk – and leave to cool.

To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour in a bowl, then add 200g of cooled mash and a tablespoon of the milk. Season with a pinch of salt. Work everything together into a dough, handling it as lightly as possible. If it’s too dry, add a touch more milk, but only a teaspoon at a time.

When you have a smooth dough, roll it into a ball, cover it with cling film and chill for at least half an hour before using.