Cornish Pasties Print E-mail
Written by Claire Hopley, 2005   
Image Shops sell pasties with a vast array of fillings: Cornwall has old recipes for pasties filled with egg and bacon, egg and herbs, liver and onion, mutton and turnip. There are some made with crab and pies filled with pilchards or mackerel, but when times were hard, some pasties had just potatoes and swede. Invariably, the filling goes in raw, and the flavour comes from the succulent mix of juices as the ingredients cook.

For the pastry

450g (1lb) plain flour
A pinch of salt
115g (4oz) frozen or very cold butter
115g (4oz) frozen or very cold lard
Cold water for mixing
1 egg

For the filling

2 medium large potatoes
1-2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
A slice of swede (about 250g/9oz)
340g (12oz) chuck steak or rump beef
Salt and pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
2-3 tbsp butter (optional)

To make the pastry: mix the flour and salt together. Grate the butter and lard using the large teeth of a grater, or cut into pea-size pieces. With your fingers or a fork lightly toss the butter and lard into the flour until each little bit is coated in flour.

Make a well in the centre and pour in about 100ml (3½ fl oz) cold water. Bring the mixture together with your fingers to make a dough, adding more water a little at a time, if necessary, until you have a soft but not sticky dough. Do not handle roughly or for longer than necessary.

Let the dough chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling ingredients. (You can keep it in the fridge longer if it is more convenient.)

To make the filling: peel the potatoes and keep them in a pan of cold water for about 30 minutes, then cut into 1cm (½ in) dice and toss with the parsley. Cut the swede into 80mm (1⁄3 in) slices, then cut these into 1cm (½ in) pieces. Season the beef with salt and pepper, cut into 1cm (½ in) pieces and toss with the thyme.

To make the pasty, pre-heat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8 and line a shallow baking tray with parchment paper or grease them. Divide the pastry into four pieces and roll each into a 23cm (9in) circle.

Place a layer of onion going from one side to the other across the centre of each circle. Season with salt and pepper then top with a layer of swede pieces. Place the meat on top, making sure that it goes from one side to the other and thus gets into the corner when the pasty is baked.

Scatter the potato pieces on top, then press down on the filling with your hand to compact it. Now bring one side of the pastry over to make a half-moon shape that encloses the filling. Firmly press the edges together, wetting them with cold water, if necessary, to make them stick. (Alternatively, put the ingredients in a circle in the centre of the pasty and enclose them by bringing the sides over the middle and joining them in a wavy seam.) Do not make slits in the pastry.

Beat the egg with 1 tbsp cold water, then brush it over the surface of the pasty. Make 4 pasties, then lift them on to the prepared tray with a spatula and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Reduce the temperature to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5 and bake for another 20 minutes.

Turn off the oven but let the pasties remain inside for a further 5 minutes.

Makes 4 large pasties
 
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