Cornish Pasty

The Cornish Pasty.  Wow.  What a great food.  Similar to our Aussie Meat Pie but more rustic and chunky, and made with a deliciously crunchy shortcrust pastry . The Cornish Pasty is regarded as the national dish of Cornwall, UK.  It came about when the miner's wives would make these for their husbands to take down the mines with them, (supposedly they were made to withstand a fall down a mine shaft)! They could be carried in their pockets, eaten cold or hot and contained a well rounded meal inside.  Traditionally they are made with diced beef, onion, swede (or turnip) and potato with a light seasoning. The use of carrots in Cornwall is very much frowned upon, but I don't know.... I can't knock back carrot when I'm using beef and vegetables.  Nowadays you could find them with almost anything inside them, from curried vegetables, chicken and vegetables and even a sweet version is being sold in parts of Cornwall and Devon. Since 2011, after a 9yr campaign by about 50 pastry makers in Cornwall, the term Cornish Pasty was awarded a Protected Geographical Indication.  However there still seems to be some controversy as to whether the crimping is supposed to be on top of the D shape or along the side.  I've seen it done both ways in Cornwall and for the sheer look of it, I like to crimp mine on top.  Make a pasty (or pastie) for yourself but just don't pretend you're making a Cornish one!  With that in mind, I made mine with some contraband ingredients so I will not claim the title in contents, only in form.  My girls ate them up beautifully so this a perfect family weekend lunch or mid week dinner. 

Serves 4

For the pastry
8 ounces all purpose flour
4 ounces cold butter, cut into cubes
6 tblspn iced water
Pinch of salt

For the filling: (make up your own)

• 8 ounces of steak, cut into cubes (fillet steak)
• 1 tblspn balsamic glaze
• Splash of good red wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1/3 cup diced parsnip
• sea salt and pepper
• freshly chopped rosemary
• freshly chopped thyme
• 1 egg for glazing, beaten

(I added 1/2 cup of diced carrots and 1/2 cup frozen peas as well)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400'F 
• In a mixing bowl place the flour and add the cold butter.  Using your fingers, rub the butter through the flour until it becomes grainy and coarse and the butter has been fully incorporated. Now add the salt and stir through.
• Add the water and mix gently with your hand until a dough begins to form. Keep adding the water slowly until the dough comes together in a ball.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 20-30mins
• In a hot skillet sear the meat in the balsamic glaze and red wine.  Cook it briefly, 20-30 seconds then put it aside in a bowl.
• Fry off the onions in a little olive oil in the same pan until softened and clear.
• Combine the meat, onions, and other uncooked vegetables together in the bowl and mix until well combined
• Take your pastry out of the fridge and divide into two.  Using a rolling pin, roll out 1/4inch thick sheet of pastry and cut out a 6" round disc.  You could use a side plate for this and cut around it. 
• Take the scraps from making the first disc and re-roll to make your second.  Do the same with the other portion of pastry to make 4 in total
• Add about 1 cup of mixture to the centre of each pastry disc.  Now add salt and pepper and as sprinkle of rosemary and thyme 
• Run a little egg wash around the edge of the disc before bringing two of the sides up together and pinching the edges to secure the filling.
• Place your pasties on a lined baking tray and brush the top of the pasties with the remainder of the egg wash before baking until golden brown.  
• Serve with a good tomato chutney or baked beans and most definitely a glass of beer.