Looking for something different for lunch? Make this Cornish pasties recipe! Made with a filling of well-seasoned steak and vegetables in a homemade pastry, you won’t need anything else for lunch and they can be eaten hot or cold.
About This Recipe
- It’s easy to make and does not require any precooking, the meat and vegetables are placed in the pastry raw.
- The pastry is easy to make but, can be replaced with ready made shortcrust pastry if you are short on time.
Where Do Cornish Pasties Come From?
According to history-uk.com Cornish pasties originated in ancient England in the Cornwall region. These hand pies were a popular food for families, fishermen and even more so for the miners in that region. The reason for this is, because the pasty was a convenient and easy way to eat when down in the mine.
Ingredient Notes
Just basic ingredients are needed to make this Cornish pasty recipe and you may already have most of these.
For the pastry you will need chilled butter cut into cubes, plain flour (all purpose), water and salt.
For the filling, you will need onion, carrot, potato, steak, beef stock, salt and pepper.
When choosing meat for the filling choose rump, round or fillet steak. These are cuts that you would normally eat pan fried and are soft. Avoid using stewing steak like gravy beef or chuck steak these are tough and require long slow cooking.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 – Make the Pastry Dough
Note: Make sure that the butter and water is fridge cold, this will help make a firm dough. If you use warm butter and water, the dough will end up being too soft.
Place the flour into a large mixing bowl with a pinch of salt and add the chilled butter cubes. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Gradually add in enough of the cold water to the flour and butter mixture and work it into a firm ball. The dough should be firm and just a little sticky.
Wrap it in plastic and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes before rolling. Chilling the dough will make it easier to roll, especially in very hot weather.
While the dough is chilling prepare the filling.
Step 2 – Make the Filling
Trim away any fat from the meat and cut tiny pieces, about 1/2 cm cubes. Peel onions, carrot and potatoes and cut these into fine dice.
Put the meat and vegetables into a large mixing bowl add the beef stock, season very well with salt and pepper and mix well.
Note: If liked, the skins can be left on the potatoes. Give them a very good scrub before cutting into fine dice.
Step 3 – Roll and Shape the Pastry
Divide the dough into eight even pieces. Use your kitchen scales for accuracy, if you want.
Roll each ball into a large circle about 5 mm (1/4-inch-thick) and about 18 cm (7 inches) in diameter.
Don’t roll it any thinner because it could tear when you close it over the filling.
The pastry circle does not have to be perfect, but if you like a nice neat circle, find something that is about 18 cm in diameter (a plate or saucepan lid might work). Place it on the pastry and use a small sharp knife to cut out a circle.
Step 4 – Making The Cornish Pasties
Divide the filling into eight even portions, use your kitchen scales for accuracy.
Take one pastry round and place some filling into the centre. Bring the opposite sides of the pastry above the filling and pinch the pastry edges together (use the picture above for reference).
Step 5- Brush With Egg Wash and Bake
Place the Cornish pasties onto a lined baking tray, with the seam side up.
Lightly beat the egg, then brush the egg over the pastry using a pastry brush.
Place in pre-heated 200°C (400°F) oven and bake for 20 min then reduce oven temp to 180°C (360°F) bake for 40 more minutes.
Step 6
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. These can be eaten hot or at room temperature.
Notes:
I have to admit these cornish pasties are quite large because they are supposed to be a meal in themselves for adults.
However, you can easily adjust the size and make small Cornish pasties and even mini Cornish pasties. These sizes would be great as a kid’s lunch idea and can even be included as an easy cold picnic food or serve them at a tailgate party.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Cornish pasties have carrots?
Traditional Cornish pasties don’t have carrots, swedes (rutabaga) are normally used. However, if swedes are unavailable or you don’t like the flavour of this vegetable, carrots are a good replacement.
Do Cornish pasties contain dairy?
Yes, this recipe does contain dairy because, there is butter in the pastry. However, the butter can be replaced with lard.
Do Cornish pasties have gravy?
No, there is no gravy in a Cornish pasty.
Do Cornish pasties have meat?
Yes, traditional Cornish pasties have diced beef inside.
Can you make Cornish pasties with shortcrust pastry?
Yes, the homemade pastry in this recipe can be replaced with ready-made shortcrust pastry. This is a good alternative if you are in a hurry, but do try and make your own pastry, homemade tastes so much better.
Can you microwave a Cornish pasty?
Yes, a cooked Cornish pasty can be placed into a microwave for quick reheating but, the texture of the pastry does change slightly.
Can you make Cornish pasties in advance?
Yes, they can be made in advance either cooked or uncooked. If they are to be used in a day or two after preparing keep them in the fridge, or they can be frozen for eating at a later date.
Can you freeze Cornish pasties?
Yes, pasties can be frozen either cooked or uncooked.
How to freeze cooked pasties:
Allow the cooked pasties to cool completely, individually wrap each pasty in plastic food wrap, place into freezer bag, label then freeze. Pasties can be frozen for up-to 4 months.
How to freeze uncooked pasties:
Uncooked pasties without egg wash, should be placed onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Fit as many as you can on the tray but, don’t have them touching.
Place the tray with the pasties into the freezer and freeze until solid. Once frozen, individually wrap each pasty in plastic food wrap, place into freezer bag, label then freeze. Uncooked pasties can be frozen for up-to 4 months.
How to cook uncooked frozen Cornish Pasties?
When ready to bake, take the required number of pasties from the freezer and remove the plastic. Place the frozen pasties onto a tray lined with baking paper, brush with egg wash, then bake as directed in the recipe.
Note: Cooking frozen pasties will take a little longer.
Can Cornish Pasties be eaten cold?
You can eat Cornish pasties cold straight from the fridge but, they do taste better hot or at room temperature.
Can Cornish pasties be reheated?
To reheat pasties, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Place the cold pasty on a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes or until heated.
If the pasties are frozen allow them to thaw before reheating.
See Our Stories
Recipe
Cornish Pasties
Ingredients
Pastry
- 525 grams plain flour all-purpose
- Salt and pepper
- 260 grams cold butter
- 133 grams water (about 15 tablespoons water)
Filling
- 500 grams beef topside or round steak
- 200 grams onion about 1 ½ medium sized onions
- 360 grams potatoes about 3 medium sized potatoes
- 180 grams 1 carrot about 1 medium sized carrot
- 3 tablespoons beef stock can use stock made from stock cubes/powder
- 1 egg
Instructions
Pastry
- Sift the flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and spread over the flour. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Sprinkle over the water and mix to form a firm dough. Shape into a ball, cover with plastic and chill for about 30 minutes before rolling.
Prepare the filling (do this while the pastry is chilling)
- Cut the meat into tiny piece and place into a large mixing bowl.
- Peel and finely dice the onions, potatoes and carrot and add to the bowl with the meat.
- Season the meat and vegetable mixture with salt and pepper and add the beef stock, mix well and put aside.
Shaping and filling
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Line two baking trays with baking paper.Divide the dough into 8 even portions and shape each into a ball.
- Roll each ball on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick. Using a plate, cut each rolled out piece of dough into a round about 18 cm (7 inches) in diameter.
- Divide the filling between the rounds, placing the filling in the centre line of the circle.
- Bring the opposite sides of the pastry above the filling and pinch the pastry edges together.
- Place the Cornish pasties onto a lined baking tray, with the seam side up. Lightly beat the egg, then brush the egg over the pastry using a pastry brush. Then use the tip of a sharp pointed knife to make a small cut on one side of the pastry, this will allow steam to escape when baking.Note: if you don’t have a pastry brush, spread the egg over the pastry with clean hands.
- Place in pre heated 200°C (400°F) oven and bake for 20 min then reduce oven temp to 180°C (360°F) bake for 40 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. These can be eaten hot or at room temperature.
More Delicious Easy Recipes To Try
- Boston Baked Beans – easy and economical to make in a slow cooker
- Korean Ground Beef Rice Bowl – super fast to make and can be ready in 15 minutes.
- Creamy Vegetable Pie – a great looking and tasty side dish to any meal.
- Stuffed Pasta Shells With Ricotta and Spinach – very easy to make with frozen spinach and ricotta cheese.
Hello,
I’m Cornish, born and raised and my family tree go back hundreds of years. I am very proud of my heritage but it does sadden me when I see recipes for Cornish pasties that are not true to real, traditional recipe. We Cornish do not and never would put carrots and stock in our pasties and would only use a good knob of butter inside with swede, potatoes, onions and a good pinch of salt and pepper. As for the pastry we only use strong white flour, lard and butter which is brought together with a few tablespoons of water. The crimp is only on one side and never over the top of a pasty.
Regards from Cornwall
Lisa Hocking