Recipes from Wales 6 - Favorites Fo Teh Welsh Menfolk

Featured recipes: Caws Pobi (Welsh Rarebit), Katt Pie and Ffagod Sir Benfro (Pembrokeshire Faggots)

When I first moved to Wales 10 years ago, the variety of food amazed me. So many new things to try and most were from recipes handed down by many generations. Some things I could never get myself to try like steak and kidney pie or lamb hot pot. Lots of the men here could do that for me. But I wholeheartedly threw myself into the desserts and such! No squeamish tummy in that department. The recipes included in this article are not for the faint at heart like me, but for the rather adventurous soul. These are considered hearty dishes, meals that fill the stomach and warm the heart!

Caws Pobi (Welsh Rarebit)
Ingredients: 4 oz grated cheese, tablespoons milk, 1 oz butter, salt, pepper and mustard if desired, slice of toast

Place cheese and milk in saucepan and melt slowly. Add pepper, salt and butter. When piping hot, pour it over the toast and brown under a grill. If you are in a really adventurous mood, add a little beer to the mixture and this really adds to the flavor!

Katt Pie
Ingredients: 1 lb. flour, ½ lb. suet, pinch salt, ½ lb. minced mutton, ¼ lb. currants, and ½ lb. brown sugar, pepper

Make hot-water pastry by boiling suet in water; add to flour and salt, stirring well with wooden spoon. When cool make into pies about 4 inches in diameter. Arrange filling in layers - mutton, currants and sugar salt and pepper and cover with a round of thin pastry. Bake in a hot oven for 20-30 minutes and serve while hot.

Ffagod Sir Benfro (Pembrokshire Faggots)
Ingredients: 1 ½ lbs. pig liver, 4 oz breadcrumbs, 3 oz suet, 2 large onions, 2 teaspoons sage, 2 teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper

ince raw liver and onions in a bowl. Mix with breadcrumbs, suet, salt, pepper and sage thoroughly. Form into small balls. Bake in moderate oven for about 30 minutes; pour boiling water into tin to form gravy.

llet me know if you give any of these a go!