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Three cornish pasties on a sheet of parchment
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5 from 1 vote

Cornish Pasties

A Cornish pasty is a sturdy pastry filled with meat and vegetables. I have a soft spot for pasties because they were the only food I was allowed to eat on the couch while watching television as a child.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: British
Servings: 9 pasties
Calories: 468

Ingredients

For the dripping pastry

  • 4 cups (17 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 6 ounces beef dripping or diced rendered suet
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons ice-cold water

For the pasties

  • 1 recipe dripping pastry
  • 1 pound marbled sirloin steak
  • 1 potato
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 small turnip
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Make the pastry

  • Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the dripping and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
  • Pour 1/4 cup of the water over the flour-dripping mixture and mix with a fork. Squeeze a bit of the dough between your fingers. If it holds together, tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface; if not, mix in the remaining 2 teaspoons of water and test again.
  • Gently knead the dough into a ball. Divide the pastry in half and flatten into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Make the pasties

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the pastry from the refrigerator.
  • Cut the meat into 1/2-inch cubes, removing any sinew, and place in a bowl. Peel and cut the potato, onion, carrot, and turnip into 1/4-inch dice. Add the vegetables to the meat, along with the parsley, rosemary, and salt. Season well with pepper and stir. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the water.
  • On a floured surface, roll out the pastry about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out nine 6-inch circles, kneading the scraps together and rerolling the pastry as necessary. Take 1 circle and place 1/3 cup of the filling on half of the circle. Brush the edges of the circle with the egg wash and then fold over the pastry to make a half-moon shape. Crimp to seal the edges well and place the pasty on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining circles.
  • Brush the pasties with the egg wash and use a fork to prick the pasties several times on the top side. Bake for 20 minutes, reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C), and continue cooking another 25 minutes, until they are golden brown and a little cooking juice has leaked from the holes in the pasties.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 568mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g