Meat pies of various sorts have been a common, basic food for many cultures. Cornish pasties are an old-fashioned food that remains ideal in a modern world. This simple pastry can be eaten out of hand and it's portable, practical and versatile. Rather than being delicate, these are sturdy and durable meals ideal for eating on the go. Pasties remain popular in Cornwall and elsewhere in Britain today, sold in specialty shops, bakeries and grocery stores.
History
While the specific origins of the pasty are not known, it appears to have begun as a Cornish tin miners lunch, or "croust." An easily carried, durable lunch made an ideal meal for a hard-working miner. Some mines even built ovens at the surface to keep the miner's pasties warm until lunch. Pasties were often marked with initials in pastry dough to allow everyone to recognize their own lunch.
Pastry
Two different types of pastry are used for Cornish pasties. Either a shortcrust pastry or a rough puff pastry can serve as the crust for a Cornish pasty. A short pastry for a Cornish pasty is made by cutting butter, lard or shortening into flour. Shortcrust pastry is commonly used for pies and tarts. A rough puff pastry is less labor intensive than a traditional puff pastry; however, relies upon turns and folds to form a light and flaky dough.
Fillings
The traditional Cornish pasty filling is beef, potatoes and onions. Turnips may be added. The key to a Cornish pasty, as opposed to other meat pies, is that all ingredients are placed into the pasty raw and baked together. Meat must be chopped and vegetables sliced. The filling can be mixed together or layered in the pasty. In the past, some pasties had separate pastry compartments for different sorts of fillings, with fruit or jam in one and meat and vegetables in another.
Recipe
Cut 1/2 pound of fat into 1 pound of flour. Add a pinch of salt and a small amount of cold water to mix. Work the ingredients together until they form a smooth ball. Set this aside. Chop 3/4 pound of good quality beef into small pieces. Finely slice 1 onion, 1 potato and 1 rutabaga. Roll the dough out into 4 circles, each approximately 6 inches in diameter. Place a small amount of beef and a layer of vegetables onto half of each circle. Add salt, pepper and butter to each pasty. Bring the other half of the dough over and crimp the edges. Brush with beaten egg and slit the top to allow steam to escape. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, then lower temperature to 350 degrees for a further 40 minutes.
Modern Interpretations
While purists expect their pasties to have only beef, potato, onion and rutabaga or turnip, many people have opted to use the idea of a Cornish pasty for all sorts of other fillings. Egg and bacon pasties, fig and apple pasties or curry pasties all make equally appealing and portable meals, even if they are not traditional Cornish pasties.
Tags: Cornish pasty, Cornish pasties, puff pastry, rough puff, rough puff pastry, small amount
