Classic Cornish pasties

Classic Cornish pasties

Debbie Major turns her expert hand to proper Cornish pasties made with braising steak, tweaking and perfecting the recipe until she finds her best possible version.

Classic Cornish pasties

  • Serves icon Makes 6
  • Time icon Hands-on time 1 hour, oven time 
1 hour, plus chilling

Debbie Major turns her expert hand to proper Cornish pasties made with braising steak, tweaking and perfecting the recipe until she finds her best possible version.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
778kcals
Fat
36.5g (11.8g saturated)
Protein
29.5g
Carbohydrates
79.9g 
(5.2g sugars)
Fibre
6.2g
Salt
0.2g

Ingredients

For the pastry

  • 100g hard margarine, such as Stork Original baking block
  • 100g lard
  •  
450g strong plain white bread flour, 
plus extra to dust
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 
200ml ice-cold water

For the filling

  • 
450g braising steak (skirt, chuck or blade), cut into 1cm pieces
  • 225g peeled swede, cut into 1cm cubes
  • 
600g peeled waxy potatoes, such as charlotte or anya, cut into 1cm cubes
  • 
225g onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 medium free-range egg, beaten
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Method

  1. Freeze the margarine and lard 
for at least 1 hour until very firm.
  2.  Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Remove the margarine and lard from the freezer and coarsely grate them on a box grater straight into the flour, flicking some of the flour onto the fats as you work if they start to get a little sticky.
  3. Rub the grated fats into the flour 
with your fingertips, then mix in the 
ice-cold water using a dinner knife until 
it all comes together into a soft dough.
  4. Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 minute until smooth and slightly elastic. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.
  5. Meanwhile make the filling. Mix the steak, swede and potatoes in a bowl 
with the chopped onion, 1 tsp salt and 
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
  6. Weigh the pastry, divide into 6 equal pieces, then roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to a 20cm circle. Weigh the filling, divide equally into 6 and pile it into the centre of each circle. Use your hands to pack it gently into a rugby-ball shape that sits across the centre of each pastry circle. Brush one half of each pastry edge with a little water, then bring it over the filling and press the edges together well. Fold over and crimp the edge with your fingers to give a good seal. Put the pasties, spaced well apart, on a baking sheet 
lined with non-stick baking paper and 
chill for 1 hour.
  7. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Remove the pasties from the fridge and brush them generously with the beaten egg. Make 3 small slits in the top of each pasty and bake for 1 hour until richly golden. Transfer the pasties to a wire cooling rack and eat while still warm.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
778kcals
Fat
36.5g (11.8g saturated)
Protein
29.5g
Carbohydrates
79.9g 
(5.2g sugars)
Fibre
6.2g
Salt
0.2g

delicious. tips

  1. Make and chill the pastry up 
to 2 days ahead and keep well wrapped in the fridge, or freeze for up to 1 month. The unbaked pasties can be made a day ahead, then baked to order. Any leftover cooked pasties will keep for a few days in the fridge. They’re best warmed in the oven or microwave to serve.

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