You can’t beat traditional Cornish pasties for lunch or even dinner! A big dollop of ketchup and you’re set (controversial, perhaps?)

As I’m from Cornwall, this is a recipe I just had to feature on my blog. This recipe uses authentic homemade shortcrust pastry (the buttery kind) made with lard and butter to create the most delicious pastry. Traditional beef skirt steak, potato, swede (rutabaga if you’re in the US), onion and lots of salt and pepper seasoning as is traditional in Cornwall. The filling creates its own juices due to the steam building up inside the pastry whilst cooking. 

They only share shape in common with my easy beef empanadas!

These pasties taste like they‘ve just come out fresh from the pasty shop! They’ll bring a little bit of Cornwall to your home!

For more tastes of Cornwall, try my moist buttermilk scones recipe or traditional Cornish splits served with clotted cream and jam. Dessert is served!

Why was the pasty invented?

It is well known in Cornwall that the traditional Cornish pasty was created and cooked by the wives of Cornish miners so they could have an easy-to-hold lunch when working down the tin mines. The thick, crimped edge provided something for the miners to hold onto without worrying about not having washed their hands (I doubt there were taps and fresh water down the mines!) 

The wives of Cornish tin miners also created pasties with a sweet filling and savory filling (one on each end!) The ends were marked with initials so they knew which end to eat first.

The best beef cut to use for pasty making

The best and traditional cut of beef to use for pasty making is beef skirt. Beef skirt is cut from under the rib section of a cow and has visible grain. Be sure to cut against the grain when cutting. The smaller the pieces of meat, the better, as skirt is known for being a little bit on the tougher side. However, if you cut small, this shouldn’t be an issue. 

Beef skirt can be difficult to find in supermarkets in the UK. I managed to find some at the Waitrose meat counter, so be sure to check your local supermarket‘s meat counters first. Failing that, you can also use a good quality rib eye or sirloin steak. Don’t try and use any other cut of beef other than these (such as braising steak) as they will be chewy.

How to make the shortcrust pastry (step by step)

Step 1 – Add your flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut up your butter and lard into small cubes.

Step 2 – Add your butter and lard into the bowl of flour and using your fingertips, rub it into the flour to create a crumb like mixture. 

Step 3 – Add the cold water and using a spoon or your hands, mix together until a dough has formed. 

Step 4 – Tip the dough onto a floured surface and form it into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour at least.

How to make the pasty (step by step)

Step 1 – Peel your potatoes and swede into small chunks and grate your onion. Cut your beef skirt into small chunks (against the grain).

Step 2 – Roll out your dough on a floured surface, ensuring it’s about the thickness of a pound coin (about 3mm). Cut out rounds about 16cm diameter (the size of a side plate). Feel free to use one of yours to cut around. As long as the round is at least 16cm diameter. You can go bigger, depending on what size pasties you want to make.

Step 3 – Pile a small amount of potato, swede, onion and meat in the middle of your pasty round. Season well with salt and pepper. 

Step 4 – Now for the crimping part: fold one side of the pastry over to meet the over side, pressing down to seal. I find it’s a good idea to hold your filling back with you middle fingers as your folding over. This is to stop it trying to leak out. This is a tricky part and may take a few tries to get it right. Don’t be disheartened. You now want to hold one end of the pasty pastry and fold it over to meet the pastry next to it. You’ll carry on doing little folds like this to create a crimping pattern. Place your pasties on a lined baking tray. 

Step 5 – Mix the egg and milk together in a small bowl and brush over the pasty. Bake in a hot oven of about 220 degrees C for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown. 

Can I freeze Cornish pasties?

Yes, you definitely can. You’ll need to wrap each pasty individually in plastic wrap and then place into a freezer bag. You can freeze a pasty for around 4-5 months. For best results, freeze pasties before baking and cook from frozen. This will take around 1 hour 10 mins or more. Be sure to check the pasties are steaming hot inside before serving. 

If freezing post baking, either defrost and bake for around 20 minutes or cook from frozen for 45 minutes, always ensuring the inside is steaming hot before eating. 

Tips for Pasty Making

Ensure the water you use to make your shortcrust pastry is as cold as you can get it (even adding some ice can help). This will help make the crispiest shortcrust.

Another one is cold butter. Cold butter and cold water = the best combo!

Flour your hands if mixing the dough with your hands. This will keep sticky hands at bay!

Use a small side plate to measure your pasty sizes when cutting the dough. This will help keep them consistent in shape.