Cornish Pasty

Name: Cornish Pasty
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 6 tbsp cold lard or solid vegetable shortening, cut into cubes; 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes; 6-8 tbsp ice water; 1/2 tsp salt (for pastry); 1 lb beef skirt steak (or chuck), finely diced; 2 small waxy potato (Yukon Gold), peeled, finely diced; 1/2 small swede (rutabaga or turnip), peeled, finely diced; 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced; 1 tsp salt (for filling); 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 1 large egg (for egg wash), beaten with 1 tbsp water

Flaky shortcrust pastry folded around a filling of diced beef skirt steak, potato, swede (or turnip), and onion - a hand-held British classic baked until golden.

105 minMediumServes 4650 cal/serving

BritishLunchOvenStandardAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

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Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tbsp cold lard or solid vegetable shortening, cut into cubes
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
6-8 tbsp ice water
1/2 tsp salt (for pastry)
1 lb beef skirt steak (or chuck), finely diced
2 small waxy potato (Yukon Gold), peeled, finely diced
1/2 small swede (rutabaga or turnip), peeled, finely diced
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 tsp salt (for filling)
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 large egg (for egg wash), beaten with 1 tbsp water

Instructions

1

Make the pastry: whisk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt (for pastry) together in a bowl. Rub in 6 tbsp cut into cubes cold lard or solid vegetable shortening and 6 tbsp cut into cubes cold unsalted butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add 6-8 tbsp one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork just until the dough comes together. Flatten into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3

Combine 1 lb finely diced beef skirt steak (or chuck), 2 small peeled, finely diced waxy potato (Yukon Gold), 1/2 small peeled, finely diced swede (rutabaga or turnip), and 1/2 medium finely diced yellow onion in a bowl. Season well with 1 tsp salt (for filling) and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Mix to combine - do not pre-cook the filling.
4

Divide the chilled pastry into 4 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a circle roughly 9 inches in diameter.
5

Divide the filling evenly among the pastry circles, piling it on one half of each circle and leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the empty pastry half over the filling and press the edges together firmly. Crimp with your fingers or a fork to seal.
6

Place pasties on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with beaten with 1 tbsp water large egg (for egg wash). Cut a small steam vent in the top of each pasty.
7

Bake 20 minutes at 400°F, then reduce oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake a further 35 minutes until deeply golden and the internal temperature of the filling is at least 165°F (74°C). Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

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Questions

What is Cornish Pasty?

Flaky shortcrust pastry folded around a filling of diced beef skirt steak, potato, swede (or turnip), and onion - a hand-held British classic baked until golden. This reference files it under British lunch: made in the oven, rated medium and about 105 minutes start to finish.

What oven temperature does Cornish Pasty need?

For Cornish Pasty, the oven is set to 400 F (about 205 C) in step 2. The longest stretch at that heat is 35 minutes, in step 7. The target internal temperature is 400 F (about 205 C), given in step 7. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork. The target internal temperature is 350 F (about 175 C), given in step 7. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

Why rest the meat in Cornish Pasty?

Step 7 reads: "Let rest 5 minutes before serving." Heat drives the juices toward the center. The rest in step 7 lets them spread back out, so they stay in the meat instead of running onto the board when you cut.

Can I make Cornish Pasty dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Cornish Pasty is 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Does Cornish Pasty contain eggs?

Yes: 1 large egg (for egg wash), beaten with 1 tbsp water. The full allergen list for this entry is gluten, dairy and eggs. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Which part of Cornish Pasty can be done ahead?

Everything up to step 1. Step 1 is a built-in pause of 30 minutes: "Flatten into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 2 when you are ready to finish.

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