Cornish Pasty
The definitive British pastry icon: a beautifully crimped, golden crust packed with a juicy, seasoned filling of diced beef, potatoes, swede, and onions, baked to rustic perfection.
70 min
Easy
Británica
4 servings
The story behind
You have absolutely no idea how incredibly satisfying and deeply comforting this historic recipe turns out! The very first time I experienced an authentic Cornish pasty was during a coastal trip through Cornwall, in the southwest of England. It was a fiercely windy, freezing afternoon, and slipping into a local bakery to bite into this piping hot pasty was absolute heaven. The bakers there shared a brilliant piece of history with me: this was the staple lunch for 19th-century tin miners. That thick, braided pastry crimp along the side wasn't just for looks; the miners used it as a 'handle' to hold and eat their meal without contaminating the food with their hands covered in toxic arsenic or coal dust, throwing the crust away at the end. Personally, I absolutely love making these for outdoor picnics or a quick weekend lunch. It looks phenomenal when presented with a fresh parsley sprig right on the side like the photo layout. To drink, a cold traditional Ale or a hot cup of black tea balances the rich savory layers beautifully. You are going to fall in love with it.
Instructions
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1To make the pastry, rub the flour and cold cubed butter together using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand; stream in a touch of cold water and knead briefly just until a firm dough forms. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
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2In a medium bowl, combine the raw diced beef, potatoes, swede, and chopped onion. Season generously with salt and a mountain of black pepper (the true Cornish secret is that distinct peppery kick).
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3Preheat your oven to 200°C and retrieve the pastry dough from the refrigerator.
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4Divide the pastry into four equal portions and roll each out on a lightly floured surface into flat discs about 20 cm in diameter.
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5Heap a quarter of the raw filling mixture onto one half of each pastry disc, leaving a clean border around the edge.
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6Fold the pastry over the filling to form a neat crescent, brush the rim with a little water to seal, and crimp sequentially by folding the edge over itself to form that iconic braided edge seen in Cornish Pasty.jpg.
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7Transfer the pasties to a lined baking sheet, poke a small slit on top of each to release steam, brush thoroughly with the egg wash, and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes; then lower heat to 180°C and bake for another 30 minutes until the crust is deeply golden and crisp.
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