Cornish Beef Pasties

Cornish pasties (pronounced PAH-steez) are a delicious treat from the UK. Although you can buy them all over England, the best ones are in Cornwall, which is as far southwest in England as you can get without going into the ocean! These beef and vegetable pies have been around for many years. Cornish pasty recipes can be served hot or chilled, and they’re great both ways.

The pastry has a thick rim, because years ago the pie would be held by this piece of pastry before it was discarded (coal miners’ hands weren’t the cleanest back then!) Today, the shape of the pie is the same but you’ll want to enjoy every last bit of the pastry as well as the meaty filling. Carrots, beef, onion, and potatoes are used in the filling, although you’re welcome to sub rutabaga for the carrots, as that’s more traditional. Either will work though.

Cornish pasties are a true delight from England’s Cornish coast. This recipe shows you how to make your own authentic Cornish pasty recipe, and you’re going to love how tasty these beef and vegetable hand pies are.

Why You’ll Love the Recipe:

All the way from Cornwall, on England’s southwest coast, these pasties are a delicious type of pie favored by locals and actually beloved all over the country. The meaty filling includes vegetables and some simple seasonings and the pastry is flaky and delicious.

How to Serve Them:

Cornish pasties are often paired with fries or served as a snack. You can enjoy them hot from the oven, chilled or warmed back up.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• all-purpose flour
• unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• egg yolks
• salt
• water

For the filling:

• Yukon Gold potatoes
• ground beef
• onion
• Worcestershire sauce
• carrots
• garlic cloves
• dried thyme
• dried rosemary
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

How to make Cornish Beef Pasties:

First make the pastry.

Whisk the flour and salt, then work in the butter with a pastry blender, pair of forks or your fingers.

When the mixture is crumbly, combine one of the egg yolks with water, and mix this into the flour.

When everything is well combined, turn out the dough and knead for a minute or so.

Seal in plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.

Meanwhile, you can work on the filling.

Season the beef with salt and black pepper and brown to remove all traces of pink.

Transfer into a bowl.

Put the potatoes, carrots and onion in the same skillet (with a splash of oil if there isn’t enough grease from the beef).

Cook for 8 minutes or until tender.

Add the garlic and herbs and cook for 1 minute.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and cook for another minute.

Mix the beef with the vegetables, then add more salt and black pepper to taste.

Let the filling cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 400°F and use wax paper or parchment paper to line a baking sheet.

Sprinkle flour on a clean worktop and divide the dough into 6 equal sized portions.

Roll each one into a ball and then into a circle about 3/8-inch thick.

Trim off the edges to tidy them up if needed.

Brush the edges of each circle with water, then add the beef mixture on to one half of each circle.

Leave a ½-inch border.

Now fold the dough circle over the filling and use a fork to crimp the edges and seal.

Put the 6 pastries on the baking sheet and cut 3 little holes in top to act as a vent.

Whisk the other egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of water then brush this over each pasty.

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden.

Serve warm or chilled.

Can You Make It Ahead?

You can, but nothing beats them served hot and fresh from the oven!

Storage Instructions:

Keep them refrigerated and enjoy within 3 days. You can also freeze the pasties. If you want to do this, don’t add the egg wash and only cook them for 20 minutes. Freeze them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to cook them, add the egg wash on to the frozen Cornish pasties and bake at 400°F for 20 more minutes than the recipe says.

Variations and Substitutions:

In place of the ground beef, you can use chopped leftover roasted beef. You can also sub rutabaga for the carrots and another waxy potato for the Yukon Gold, perhaps red potatoes.