Let me start by saying that these are not traditional Cornish pasties. Those are made with stewing beef cut in small pieces, cooked long and slow until tender. After making ground lamb version of a Lancashire Hot Pot, it occurred to me that Cornish pasties could get the same treatment. Like ground lamb, ground beef cooks much more quickly since it’s tender already!
One other difference from classic Cornish pasties is the shortcrust I used. We prefer a thin flaky crust but that means that that these guys are challenging to eat by hand unless you cut them in half. That’s probably high treason in Cornwall but I think it’s worth it! Hey, I’d eat these with a knife and fork if need be. Traditionally, Cornish pasties were made from a sturdier dough so they could be taken to work by tin miners, fishermen and farmers. The crimped side crust was actually discarded! If you'd like to read more about them, this article in the Guardian is short but interesting.
Easy Cornish Pasties
The filling for my easy Cornish pastries is very similar to what I make for cottage pie, except for the Worcestershire sauce. If you double the recipes, you can even use it to stuffed baked potatoes.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust dough:
312g flour
140g shortening (I use Crisco.)
1 teaspoon salt
6-7 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 medium size potato, peeled and cut in cubes
1 medium carrot, diced to pea-size cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz or 225g ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups or 480ml beef stock
fine sea salt to taste – depends on how salty your beef stock is!
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup or 70g frozen peas
chopped parsley to garnish
To bake the Cornish Pasties:
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water
For the shortcrust dough:
312g flour
140g shortening (I use Crisco.)
1 teaspoon salt
6-7 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 medium size potato, peeled and cut in cubes
1 medium carrot, diced to pea-size cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz or 225g ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups or 480ml beef stock
fine sea salt to taste – depends on how salty your beef stock is!
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup or 70g frozen peas
chopped parsley to garnish
To bake the Cornish Pasties:
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water
Method
First, make the shortcrust pastry: In medium bowl with fork, lightly stir together flour and salt
With pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle in cold water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition until pastry just holds together.
Shape the pastry into a ball then press it flat. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Soak the carrot and potato in cool water so they don’t discolor.
Heat the oil in a large pot. Pop the ground beef in and fry it until it’s browned, even crispy in places, if possible. Add a little more oil if need be. Break up the beef into little pieces as it cooks.
Add in the onion and garlic and cook for a few more minutes until they soften.
Drain and add potato and carrot fry for a couple of minutes.
Add flour stir well and pour the beef stock over, and a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper and stir some more.
Reduce the heat, partly cover and leave to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the carrot and potato are almost completely cooked, stirring occasionally.
When the filling is cooked, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. I found my beef broth salty enough so I didn’t add any salt. Stir in the peas.
Leave the filling to cool completely. I put mine in a bowl in the refrigerator so it would cool more quickly.
Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180C. Line a baking pan with baking parchment.
Separate the shortcrust pastry into six equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a circle of about 7 in or 19cm. Brush around the edges with water.
Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180C. Line a baking pan with baking parchment.
Separate the shortcrust pastry into six equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a circle of about 7 in or 19cm. Brush around the edges with water.
Put 1/6th of the filling on one half of the circle.
Fold the pastie in a half and seal it by crimping the edge all the way around.
Place the pasties on the lined baking pan and glaze them with the egg beaten with the water to loosen.
Bake them in your preheated the oven for about 30 minutes or until the outsides are golden and the insides are bubbling hot.
Cool them and enjoy warm or cold. I like them the best warmed, whether when just baked or after a short spell in an oven to rewarm.
Enjoy!
This month my Foodie Extravaganza friends are sharing empanada recipes at the instigation of our host, Sue of Palatable Pastime. Sue was kind enough to allow us the latitude of sharing any empanada-shaped pastry so I chose these Cornish Pastries. Same shape, different filling.
Check out all the other lovely empanadas or empanada-inspired recipes we are sharing this month:
- Argentine Beef Empanadas from Making Miracles
- Beef Empanadas from Sneha's Recipe
- Easy Cornish Pasties from Food Lust People Love
- Easy Empanadas from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Empanadas de Atún (Argentinian Tuna Empanadas) from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Empanadas de Picadillo from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Indian Spiced Empanadas from Sara's Tasty Buds
- Spiced Potato Empanadas from Palatable Pastime
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