The clanger has become my signature dish over the years, and I am forever experimenting with flavors and doughs to perfect it. Sometimes called a Bedfordshire clanger, a clanger is simply a long pastry with dinner on one side and dessert on the other. Essentially, it's an entire one-serving meal encased in dough. It was originally invented for laborers to take as their lunch, as it was very portable, didn't require utensils, and was easier to eat with dirty hands.
I find the clanger to be the perfect meal for picnics and road trips, postpartum moms who need something fast and nutritious, and even as a great dinner option for long plane rides (yes, you can bring it on board). Even better, you can make a large batch and freeze them for later. Not to mention, they're just really fun to eat!
Notes
- No Puff, Please: I do not recommend laminating your pastry dough for clangers, or using puff pastry from the store. Puffy dough makes the clangers harder to transport and eat, and may cause leaking.
- Time Management: Although clangers can be a little time consuming, the process is actually quite flexible. You can make all the components in any order, so choose whichever arrangement works best for your day.
- Berry Juice: Save the drained juice from the berries for drinks, or brush it on top to color and mark the dessert side.
- Get Creative: As long as your fillings are cool and thick enough that they won't run off the pastry, you can fill these with whatever you like!
- Important Tools: A bench knife is your best friend with clangers. They are extremely helpful for for cutting, moving, portioning, etc.
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To freeze, wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Related
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Grace Says:
If you're having trouble with dry pie dough but are loath to add more water, you can add 1-2 Tbl of vodka instead to make it more workable. The vodka will bake off in the oven, does not impart any flavor, and will not create as much gluten as additional water will, leaving your dough still flaky and soft.
📖 Recipe
Chicken and Berry Clangers
An entire meal, chicken pot pie and blackberry dessert, encased in soft pastry.
Ingredients
Chicken Pie Filling
- ½ lb cooked chicken, chopped small
- 3 Tbl olive oil
- 2 large carrots, chopped small
- 2 stalks celery, chopped small
- 1 onion, chopped small
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated fine
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup frozen peas or green beans
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 Tbl lemon juice
Berry Pie Filling
- 2 cups blackberries
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
- 3 Tbl turbinado sugar, for topping (optional)
Pastry Dough
- 3 cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ Tbl sugar
- 14 Tbl unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ⅔ cup cold water
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- 1 splash water (for egg wash)
Instructions
Berry Pie Filling
- Combine all the ingredients for the berry pie filling, and stir to mix well. Set aside or place in the refrigerator until needed.
Chicken Pie Filling
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan, and add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the salt, pepper, and sugar to the vegetables and stir to mix. Then add the flour and mix to coat the vegetables. Add the chicken stock slowly, stirring with each small addition to allow the mixture to thicken.
- Stir in the chicken, peas, and lemon juice. Allow to cook over medium heat for 3-5 more minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. You will want the filling to be very cool before adding into the clangers, so it's sometimes helpful to complete this step the day before.
Pastry Dough
- Mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, and sugar) together in a large bowl, and then work the butter cubes into the flour with your fingers, breaking them up and rubbing them in. Work quickly so the heat from your hands doesn't soften the butter too much. If you start to see any shine on your fingers or if the butter squishes easily, put it in the fridge for 30 mins. After a few mins, you should have a crumbly mixture, with pieces of butter no bigger than almonds (smaller is ok).
- Add the water and stir to hydrate the flour and butter mixture. When the water seems well incorporated, give it a few quick kneads just to bring it together into a ball. If the dough seems too dry and you have lots of excess dry flour, add 1-2T more of cold water and mix again.
- Cut the pie dough into 3 equal pieces, and shape roughly into rectangles. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until needed. Each pie dough portion will make 2 clangers.
Assembly
- Ensure the chicken pie filling is entirely cool and drain away any juice from the berries. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Preparation Tips: It can be helpful to ensure you have fridge space for the entire baking sheet, if possible. Otherwise, just work quickly (within reason, no need to rush or panic), especially if your kitchen is hot. If things are starting to get melty, put it all in the fridge for 20 minutes. You will need a small dish with some water in it for gluing the pastry together, so prepare that now.I find it helpful to prepare the egg wash ahead of time so I'm not rushing to make it as I prepare the clangers for the oven. Crack the egg into a small bowl and add a splash of water. Mix well, and set it aside with your pastry brush for when you need it.
- Lightly flour your working surface, and pull out one of your pastry dough portions. Only work with one portion at a time to ensure the dough stays cold. Cut the dough portion into 4 equal pieces, and set two aside. Then roll out the other two into rectangles, about 4-5" wide by 7-8" long, and ¼" thick. Precision is not important here.
- On one rectangle, place about ⅓-1/2 cup of the chicken pie filling on one side, leaving at least a ½" margin to the edge. Then, using a knife or bench knife, cut off about 1" of dough from the short end of one of the rectangles. Use your fingers to flatten it thin. If it is too thick, it won't cook through and will be gummy. Then use a sprinkle of water to stick the long side of it to the center of the dough rectangle, behind the chicken filling. This will create a divider that keeps the dinner and dessert sections separate. Ensure the divider is as tall or taller than the chicken filling to prevent leaks.Once the divider is in place, add ¼-1/3 cup of berry filling to the other side of the clanger, ensuring to leave at least ½" margin to the edge.
- Dip your fingers in water, and use it to lightly wet the entire outside edge of the clanger.
- Take the second dough rectangle and gently lay it on top. Use a knife to cut off any large excesses from the edge of the clanger, but leave at least ½" of dough all the way around.
- Use a fork to press the edges of the top and bottom rectangles together, sealing the clanger all the way around. Then slash the top of both sides to allow for steam to vent. I like to use different slashes to mark which side is dinner and which side is dessert. Here I have 3 slashes for dinner and 2 for dessert.
- Transfer the completed clanger to your pan, and then repeat the assembly with all the others. If you have the fridge space, store the assembled clangers there while they wait for the oven.You should have 6 clangers by the end, and may have some extra dough scraps for decoration or patching. If you accidentally tear a hole in the dough, just dab some water on it and glue a pretty patch on. No one will know!
- Brush all the clangers with egg wash, and sprinkle turbinado sugar on the dessert section if you desire. Then bake for 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!