My Favorite Cornish Pasties Recipes

AUTHENTIC CORNISH PASTIES

Steps:

• To Make the Shortcrust Pastry: Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times until combined. Add the cold butter and lard and pulse a few more times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water a little at a time, pulsing between additions, until the mixture begins to come together. DO NOT over-mix the dough or the pastry crust will be tough and won't be flaky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before using (this is crucial). (Can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 3 months.)
• To Make the Cornish Pasties: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Cut it into 6 equal pieces (rolling the dough into a log and then cutting makes this easier). Wrap and keep the other 5 pieces chilled in the fridge while you're working on one at a time. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a 8 inch circle that's about 1/8 inch thick. You can use an 8-inch plate as your guide and cut the dough around it to form your circle.
• Layer the filling (see note at end): Put layer of potatoes down the center of the pastry circle, leaving about 3/4 inch space on the top and bottom edges of the pastry dough. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next add a layer of rutabagas, onions and finally the beef, adding a light sprinkling of salt and pepper between each layer. Lay a couple pats of butter on top of the beef and sprinkle a little flour over the filling.
• Wet the tips of your fingers and lightly moisten the edges of the pastry dough. For this next part work gently so that the filling doesn't puncture through the dough. If this happens, patch up the hole with some of the scrap pieces of pastry dough. Bring the sides up and seal the pasty down the middle. Turn the pasty onto its side and crimp the edges in traditional Cornish fashion (see blog post pictures as a visual).
• Assemble the remaining pasties and lay them on a lined baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut a slit in the center of each pasty. Lightly brush each pasty with the beaten egg mixture.
• Bake the Cornish pasties on the middle rack for 40-50 minutes until golden in color. Remove from the oven and let them sit for about 10 minutes (they will be very hot inside) before eating. They can be reheated in the oven (recommended for a crispier crust) or microwave. NOTE: Depending on how full you stuff the pasties you may have leftover filling. No worries, just fry it up together or add it to soup and enjoy it as a separate meal.

CORNISH PASTIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 375°. In another large bowl, combine beef, onion, potatoes, turnips, salt and pepper. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 portion into a 9-in. circle. Mound 1-1/2 cups filling on half of circle; dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Moisten edges with water; fold dough over filling and press edges with a fork to seal. Place on a parchment-lined rimmed 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Repeat with remaining dough, filling and butter. Cut slits in tops of pasties. Bake 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. (If desired, pour milk into slits halfway through baking time.) Serve with ketchup., Freeze option: Freeze cooled pasties in a freezer container. To use, reheat pasties on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a preheated 375° oven until heated through.

FAVORITE CORNISH PASTIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the round steak, potatoes, carrots, onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Add butter and toss to coat; set aside. , For pastry, combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture forms pea-size crumbs. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Toss lightly with a fork until dough forms a ball. Do not overmix. , Divide dough into fourths. Roll out one portion into a 9-in. circle; transfer to a greased baking sheet. Mound about 1-1/4 cups of meat filling on half of circle. Moisten edges with water; fold dough over mixture and press edges with fork to seal. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. , Cut slits in top of each pasty. Brush with beaten egg if desired. Bake at 375° for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.

MY FAVORITE CORNISH PASTIES

Steps:

• Mix uncooked meat, vegetables and spices well together in a bowl.
• Lay one pie crust flat on the lightly floured counter.
• Put 1/4 of the filling mixture on one half of the crust, leaving at least a 1 1/2 inch area along the edge free for filling so that you can use this area for sealing.
• Gently moisten the bottom edges on the sealing area with the milk using your fingertips.
• Fold over the other half of the crust on top of the filling and bring the edges of the top half and the bottom half together and press to seal.
• Fold the edges in towards the center once or twice.
• Crimp the edges well.
• Coat the entire top of the pastie with milk and place on a slightly greased large sheet pan.
• Repeat with the other 3 crusts.
• Bake for 425 degrees for about 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees for another 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

CORNISH PASTY

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, cover carrots with water. Bring water to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool and slice. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Add butter, and rub to the consistency of coarse crumbs. Mix in water. If dough is sticky, add more flour.
• Roll dough out until about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out six circles, each about 5 inches round. Do not stretch the dough.
• Mix meat and vegetables together, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover half of each pasty base with the filling. Moisten pastry edges, fold pastry over the filling. Press edges together with a fork. Transfer raw pasties to a baking sheet, brush tops with milk, and make a small slit in each top to allow steam out.
• Bake at 450 degrees F ( 230 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake for 35 minutes.

CORNISH BEEF PASTIES

Steps:

• Sift flour into a mound on a clean working surface.
• Shape flour into a large ring, forming a high wall.
• Place butter, vegetable shortening, cheese, salt and pepper in center of ring.
• Add half of the water and work into the central mixture with two table knives using cutting motions.
• Work the flour in carefully from the center of the ring, adding more water as needed.
• Mix until all the flour is added and the dough holds together.
• Gather dough into a ball and place in large plastic baggie, or place in bowl and cover with a towel.
• Refrigerate dough for at least one hour before using.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness.
• Cut six, 6-inch circles from the pastry, marking the center of each lightly.
• Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water until crisp-tender, then drain.
• Spread 1/6 of potatoes over half of each pastry circle, leaving 1/2 inch at the edge to seal.
• Combine meat, onion, salt and pepper.
• Mix well.
• Spread 1/6 of meat mixture evenly over potatoes.
• Moisten the edge of each pastry circle with cold water.
• Bring unfilled pastry half over the filled side and pinch edges together firmly to seal.
• Place on greased baking sheet, sealed side up.
• Brush top of pasties with the egg.
• Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake about 25 minutes longer, or until well browned.

CORNISH PASTIES

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the shortening, cutting it in with a pastry blender. Add the ice water, a little at a time, adding more if necessary until the dough is easily handled. Divide the dough into six pieces, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For each pasty, roll out a piece of dough into an 8-inch circle. On one half of the circle layer about 2 heaping tablespoons each of the potatoes, beef and onions, and about 1/4 cup each of rutabaga and carrots, adding salt and pepper to taste. Dot each batch of filling with 1 teaspoon butter, and fold the dough over, forming a half-moon. Moisten the edges with water, and seal the edges, crimping them with a fork. Place on a greased baking sheet. In the top of each pasty, cut several small slashes with a sharp knife.
• Bake in a 425-degree oven for a half-hour. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees, and bake for another half-hour or until the pasties are nicely browned. Serve hot or cold.

CORNISH PASTIE II

Steps:

• Divide pastry in three equal parts. Roll 1/3 to make 8x15 inch rectangle. Trim edges and cut to make two 7-inch squares. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with other two thirds of pastry.
• Arrange layer of potatoes on half of each pastry square, top with layer of onion and then with beef. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with butter.
• Moisten pastry edges with cold water and fold over to make triangles; press edges together to make tight seal. A tight seal retains steam and makes juicy pastries.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 1 hour or until meat is tender. Serve hot with chili sauce, ketchup, or pickle relish or serve cold for sandwiches.