The Welsh bakery that's the Hairy Bikers' favourite — with 'secret recipe' pasties

Deep in the enchanting heart of Eryri lies the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Previously known as the "slate capital of the world" it has an alluring charm with its piles of grey fractured slate and the towering mountains surrounding it.

And standing proudly on the high street is the celebrated Model Bakery, which made an appearance in a recent episode of the Hairy Bikers' emotional final series, when they paid a visit to Wales. Kurmang Rashid has become a mainstay of this intimate community with his diverse variety of breads, cakes and pasties. He once used to be a rocket scientist and decided to move to Blaenau Ffestiniog after visiting the area during a holiday. He chose this location because it reminded him of where he originally came from - mentioning that the landscape bore a striking resemblance to the mountainous region of Kurdistan.

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He established his own bakery here, and gradually learnt the intricate craft of making bread. Initially, mastering the technique was no easy feat, but being a scientist at heart, Kurmang skillfully understood the role of yeast through various problem-solving strategies, until he eventually learned how to bake the perfect loaf of bread, reports North Wales Live.

Kurmang certainly possesses an invigorating personality and maintains a friendly demeanour, meaning you might end up spending quite a bit of time in his shop while he enlightens you about his special offerings. His fluency in both English and Welsh allowed him to engage in warm conversations with locals, discussing their families amongst other things.

A plethora of memorabilia can be found within the shop, featuring a range of certificates or photos of the owner along with his mustered accolades. The Model Bakery, known for its wide range of food products including fresh bread, cakes, confections, sandwiches, home cooked roast ham and meat pies, offers a variety of pasties at £3 each. These include a breakfast pasty filled with sausage, beans, bacon and cheese, a Jamaican vegetable pasty, and a spinach and feta cheese pasty.

For those preferring simpler flavours, the bakery also offers a selection of baps and sandwiches such as ham and cheese. The owner even crafts honey and olive oil bread with seeds and herbs, and cheese and onion baps for weekend markets. But our main interest was in their renowned Kurdish pasties. The owner informed us that these popular pasties often sell out before noon, so an early start is recommended for anyone hoping to secure one.

The recipe for these pasties remains a closely guarded secret, with the owner revealing only that the idea for the ingredients came to him in a dream. All the Kurdish pasties are homemade, with recipes invented by the owner being trademark registered. Options include meat-filled or vegan versions, and customers are asked about any allergies, such as to pine nuts. We opted for a mild one and a spicy one.

The owner kindly offered to heat them up for us, or suggested two minutes in the microwave if we were taking them home. The spicy Kurdish pasty was a delight, leaving a fiery aftertaste, though the mild version was equally enjoyable. The pasty's exterior was smooth and not crumbly, crafted from traditional bread dough. It bore a striking resemblance to the iconic Cornish pasty in shape, filled with minced beef, but the rest of the ingredients remain a mystery.

We opted for takeaway, sharing a scrumptious, gooey, fruity flapjack before lamenting that we hadn't taken some pasties home for the freezer. It's easy to see why they sell out so quickly - they're incredibly moreish and addictive.

Before we left, the former rocket scientist shared that his first visit to Blaenau Ffestiniog was on a beautiful sunny day. He hadn't anticipated the frequent rain, but it's clear he has a deep affection for the area and its mountain folk.

I, for one, am glad that the friendly and charismatic owner chose to settle here and dreamt up the secret recipe. Please be aware that the bakery only accepts cash.