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Cornish Pasty is easy as pie to make at home! It’s filled with tender meat and potatoes and is a complete meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Do you love recreating food that you enjoy while traveling? It’s one of my favorite things to do. After returning from a trip to England I knew I wanted to recreate one of the favorite things I ate while there.
That recipe is for a Cornish Pasty. It is also called a Cornish Meat Pie. As the name implies the pasty originates from the Cornwall area of England. I ate my first pasty in Bath, England at the West Cornwall Pasty Company and will never forget it.
I couldn’t wait to get home and recreate this delicious recipe.
What is Cornish Pasty?
A pasty is made with pie crust dough and filled with meat and vegetables such as potato, turnip and onion. The history tells us that it was created for Cornish tin miners. They couldn’t return to the surface for lunch and needed a hearty easy-to-hold and simple-to-eat lunch option. Because their hands were usually dirty from work, they could hold onto the thick pastry crust and not get the contents dirty. The pastry also kept the inside warm for several hours.
Ingredients Needed
- Pie Crust. I used my Perfect Pie Crust recipe for the crust. This pie crust recipe will make 4 pasties.
- Meat. I used a Top Sirloin cut of beef but you could also use stew meat. You want a lean cut of meat.
- Vegetables. Potatoes and white or yellow onion only for an authentic pasty. Could also use carrots and rutabaga.
- Butter. I used salted butter but if using unsalted butter add a pinch more salt.
- Salt. I like a nice coarse sea salt.
How to Make Cornish Pasty
- Roll out pie crust and cut into an 8 inch circle. You can use a plate and cut around it or I purchased an 8 inch round cutter.
- Place vegetables and meat mixture onto one half of the pastry circle. Nothing is precooked before putting it into the pastry so make sure it is small enough that it will cook through during the baking process.
- Salt and pepper and add a teaspoon of butter on top.
- Fold the pasty over to create a half circle, and press the edges together to seal.
- Crimp the edges of the pasty. This is a sure sign it’s a Cornish pasty. My crimping isn’t perfect but it worked. You just want to make sure the pasty stays closed during baking. I did have one come open but it still tasted delicious.
- Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush each pasty with a beaten egg. That is what will create that nice shine on the outside..
- Bake in 400 degree F oven for about 45 minutes. It will be nice and golden brown.
Tips from Leigh Anne
- Roll your pie crust thin, but not too thin. You don’t want your hard potatoes poking through the dough.
- Use a firm potato like a russet, it holds its shape and doesn’t turn to mush as it bakes.
- Use a lean cut of beef for your cornish pasty.
- You could make your pastry dough a day ahead and keep in the refrigerator wrapped up in plastic wrap until ready to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Cornish Pasty be frozen?
They hold up great to freezing and can be frozen baked or unbaked. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then store in a zippered freezer bag.
If you’re freezing them unbaked, it’s best to bake them while they are still frozen – don’t thaw them first. Baking time will take roughly 15-20 minutes longer.
If you’re freezing them after baking them you can reheat in the microwave over the oven. You will get a crisper crust if done in the oven.
What is the best way to eat a Cornish Pasty?
The pastry is designed to be eaten by hand but I prefer to use a knife and fork.
This Cornish Pasty is so light and flaky, just like a pasty should be! The filling was delicious and makes a great complete meal.
For some other recipes check out these:
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Cornish Pasty
Ingredients
Pasty
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- pinch of salt
- ice cold water add teaspoon by teaspoon until right consistency has formed
Meat Pie Filling
- 1/2 lb. sirloin steak cubed
- 1 large potato peeled and cubed,
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 egg beaten for egg wash
Instructions
Pasty
- Place flour, salt, butter and shortening in bowl.
- Use your hands to combine ingredients until small pebbles form
- Add cold water a teaspoon at a time until the dough begins to hold together and form a ball.
- Do not over handle the dough. Dough should be soft, moist but not wet.
- Divide dough into quarters.
- Place ball of dough onto wax paper and flatten. Place another piece of wax paper over the top and roll out the pasty into a circle Remove wax paper and place a 8inch saucer on top of the dough and cut around, using it as a pattern.
- Fill center of dough with meat and potato (1/4 of meat & potato). Fold dough over to form a half circle and seal closed. You can press down with your finger ro use a little water to seal the edges.
- Crimp edges of dough and brush with an egg wash.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and meat is cooked through.
Tips & Notes:
- Roll your pie crust thin, but not too thin. You don’t want your hard potatoes poking through the dough.
- Use a firm potato like a russet, it holds its shape and doesn’t turn to mush as it bakes.
- Use a lean cut of beef for your Cornish pasty.
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Barbara J Bruining says
My mom & her mom made these, they were from the U.P. of Michigan, and being very poor could only afford burger, so they would grind up the raw potatoes and onions together & mix with the burger & put in the the dough t o bake. This is the only way I know how to make a ‘PASTY”, LOTS of other recipes have vegs in them,carrots, peas, rutabagas etc. But ya do what u r Mom teaches ya. Thanks for posting u r recipe.