Violet Zone pasties

Authentic Cornish Pasty

## Pasties

### Note

Since Violet Zone was settled from the original Hive Cornwall, the following recipe is for an Authentic Cornish Pasty. But since the hive does not have any animal proteins, the beef is probably substituted with something like a protein sizzler.

### Recipe (Imperial units)

#### Ingredients

**For shortcrust pastry** (rough puff can also be used):

* 500 g strong bread flour (it is important to use a stronger flour than normal as you need the extra strength in the gluten to produce strong pliable pastry)
* 120 g lard or white shortening
* 125 g Cornish butter
* 1 tsp salt
* 175 ml cold water

**For the filling**

* 400 g good quality beef skirt, cut into cubes
* 300 g potato, peeled and diced
* 150 g swede/turnip+, peeled and diced
* 150 g onion, peeled and sliced
* Salt & pepper to taste (2:1 ratio)
* Beaten egg or milk to glaze

+The vegetable to use is the yellow-fleshed swede, not a white turnip. This is known commonly in Cornwall as the turnip. It’s also known as the yellow turnip/Swedish turnip in some places and in North America it is called rutabaga.

#### Directions

1. Add the salt to the flour in a large mixing bowl.
2. Rub the two types of fat lightly into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add water, bring the mixture together and knead until the pastry becomes elastic. This will take longer than normal pastry but it gives the pastry the strength that is needed to hold the filling and retain a good shape. This can also be done in a food mixer.
4. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 3 hours in the fridge. This is a very important stage as it is almost impossible to roll and shape the pastry when fresh.
5. Roll out the pastry and cut into circles approx. 20cm diameter. A side plate is an ideal size to use as a guide.
6. Layer the vegetables and meat on top of the pastry, adding plenty of seasoning as you go. The amount of salt and pepper to use will vary according to taste but a good rule of thumb is to use a good pinch of salt and a gentle pinch of pepper on each layer.
7. Bring the pastry around and crimp the edges together (see our guide to crimping).
8. Glaze with beaten egg or an egg and milk mixture.
9. Bake at 165 degrees C (fan oven) for about 50 – 55 minutes until golden.

(from Cornish Pasty Association which includes a tutorial on how to crimp the edge properly.)

### Recipe (US customary units)

#### Ingredients

For the Shortcrust Pastry:

* 3 1/2 cups (450 grams) all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 5 ounces (140 grams) unsalted butter , very cold, diced
* 5 ounces (140 grams) lard , very cold
* How to Render Lard (click link to learn how to make it yourself. It's super easy and much cheaper than store-bought!)
* 2/3 cup (155 ml) ice cold water

For the Filling:

1. 1 pound (450 grams) beef skirt steak or sirloin , cut into small cubes
2. 1 pound (450 grams) firm, waxy potato , peeled and diced in 1/4 inch cubes, or slice them according to personal preference (starchy potatoes will disintegrate and turn mushy so be sure to use a firm, waxy potato that will hold its shape)
3. 8 ounces (225 grams) rutabaga , peeled and diced in 1/4 inch cubes, or slice them according to personal preference
4. 7 ounces (195 grams) yellow onion, chopped
5. salt and pepper to taste
6. unsalted butter (for cutting in slices to lay inside the pasties)
7. all-purpose flour (for sprinkling inside the pasties)
8. 1 large egg , lightly beaten

#### Directions

To Make the Shortcrust Pastry:

Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times until combined. Add the cold butter and lard and pulse a few more times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water a little at a time, pulsing between additions, until the mixture begins to come together. DO NOT over-mix the dough or the pastry crust will be tough and won't be flaky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before using (this is crucial). (Can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 3 months.)
To Make the Cornish Pasties:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut it into 6 equal pieces (rolling the dough into a log and then cutting makes this easier). Wrap and keep the other 5 pieces chilled in the fridge while you're working on one at a time. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a 8 inch circle that's about 1/8 inch thick. You can use an 8-inch plate as your guide and cut the dough around it to form your circle.
3. Layer the filling (see note at end): Put layer of potatoes down the center of the pastry circle, leaving about 3/4 inch space on the top and bottom edges of the pastry dough. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next add a layer of rutabagas, onions and finally the beef, adding a light sprinkling of salt and pepper between each layer. Lay a couple pats of butter on top of the beef and sprinkle a little flour over the filling.
4. Wet the tips of your fingers and lightly moisten the edges of the pastry dough. For this next part work gently so that the filling doesn't puncture through the dough. If this happens, patch up the hole with some of the scrap pieces of pastry dough. Bring the sides up and seal the pasty down the middle. Turn the pasty onto its side and crimp the edges in traditional Cornish fashion (see blog post pictures as a visual).
5. Assemble the remaining pasties and lay them on a lined baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut a slit in the center of each pasty.
6. Lightly brush each pasty with the beaten egg mixture.
7. Bake the Cornish pasties on the middle rack for 40-50 minutes until golden in color. Remove from the oven and let them sit for about 10 minutes (they will be very hot inside) before eating.
8. They can be reheated in the oven (recommended for a crispier crust) or microwave.

NOTE: Depending on how full you stuff the pasties you may have leftover filling. No worries, just fry it up together or add it to soup and enjoy it as a separate meal.

(from: The Daring Gourmet)