James Martin Cornish Pasties Recipes

THE PEOPLE'S CORNISH PASTY

Steps:

• For the pastry, blend the flour, baking powder, salt, butter and egg yolks in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• With the motor still running, gradually add the water in a thin stream until the mixture comes together as a dough. (NB: You may not need to use all of the water.)
• Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for one hour.
• Meanwhile, for the filling, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Place the chopped beef and flour in a bowl and mix until the meat is coated in the flour. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Season all of the vegetables, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• When the pastry has chilled, divide it into six equal pieces. Roll out each piece of pastry onto a lightly floured work surface until it is just larger than the diameter of a dinner plate. Make sure not to tear the pastry.
• Using a dinner plate as a template, trim the edges of each piece of pastry to form a disc.
• Spoon some of the chopped potato onto one half of each pastry disc, leaving 1.5cm/¾in free at the edges.
• Spoon some of the chopped swede on top of the layer of potato, then spoon some of the chopped onion on top of the layer of swede. Finally, spoon over some of the beef.
• Brush the edges of the pastry discs lightly all over with a little of the beaten egg.
• Cover the filled side of each pastry disc with the other half of the pastry disc and press the edges together with a fork to seal.
• Brush the top of each pasty with more beaten egg. Using a sharp knife, cut a small cross shape in the top of the pasties through which the steam can escape.
• Place the pasties onto a baking tray and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown and the filling is cooked through and piping hot (use a meat thermometer to check trhe temperature of the interior).
• When the pasties are cooked, remove them from the oven and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve.

CORNISH PASTY

Steps:

• Rub the butter and lard into the flour with a pinch of salt using your fingertips or a food processor, then blend in 6 tbsp cold water to make a firm dough. Cut equally into 4, then chill for 20 mins.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Mix together the filling ingredients with 1 tsp salt. Roll out each piece of dough on a lightly floured surface until large enough to make a round about 23cm across - use a plate to trim it to shape. Firmly pack a quarter of the filling along the centre of each round, leaving a margin at each end. Brush the pastry all the way round the edge with beaten egg, carefully draw up both sides so that they meet at the top, then pinch them together to seal. Lift onto a non-stick baking tray and brush with the remaining egg to glaze.
• Bake for 10 mins, then lower oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and cook for 45 mins more until golden. Great served warm.

VERY EASY CORNISH PASTY

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
• Soften the onion for about 5 mins, then add garlic and thyme and fry for another 2 mins on high temperature. Add the mince and fry for about 10 mins until browned, add potato and carrot fry for a couple of minutes then add flour, stir well and pour the beef stock over, add a pinch of salt and a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper and stir some more. Reduce the heat, partly cover and leave to simmer for 30 mins, stir occasionally.
• When the filling is cooked, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed (make sure you add plenty of pepper )
• Then leave it to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 180C, line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
• Roll out the pastry and cut into 3-4 circles of about 25cm diameter.
• Separate the filling in 3-4 portions and place each portion slightly to one side of each pastry circle, top it with few frozen peas. Apply egg around the edge, then fold it in a half and seal it. Place the pastries on the baking try and glaze them with egg.
• Bake them in the oven for about 30 mins.
• Cool them and enjoy warm or cold.

CORNISH PASTIES

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the shortening, cutting it in with a pastry blender. Add the ice water, a little at a time, adding more if necessary until the dough is easily handled. Divide the dough into six pieces, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For each pasty, roll out a piece of dough into an 8-inch circle. On one half of the circle layer about 2 heaping tablespoons each of the potatoes, beef and onions, and about 1/4 cup each of rutabaga and carrots, adding salt and pepper to taste. Dot each batch of filling with 1 teaspoon butter, and fold the dough over, forming a half-moon. Moisten the edges with water, and seal the edges, crimping them with a fork. Place on a greased baking sheet. In the top of each pasty, cut several small slashes with a sharp knife.
• Bake in a 425-degree oven for a half-hour. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees, and bake for another half-hour or until the pasties are nicely browned. Serve hot or cold.