Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 500 g strong bread flour (about 4 cups), 1 tsp fine salt
- 125 g cold unsalted butter (9 tbsp), 120 g cold lard (about 1/2 cup)
- 175 ml ice-cold water (3/4 cup)
- 350 g beef skirt steak, finely diced (12 oz)
- 250 g waxy potatoes, finely diced (2 cups), 175 g swede/rutabaga, finely diced (1.5 cups)
- 150 g onion, finely diced (1 cup)
- 1.5 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp plain flour, 2 tbsp unsalted butter (to dot)
- 1 egg + 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
Do This
- 1. Rub butter and lard into flour and salt; add cold water to form a dough. Chill 1 hour.
- 2. Dice beef and veg to 0.5 cm; toss with salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp flour. Keep cold.
- 3. Divide dough into 4; roll each to a 22 cm round, 3 mm thick.
- 4. Mound filling on half of each round; dot with butter; fold over and seal.
- 5. Hand-crimp edge along the curve to form the classic D shape. Chill 15 minutes.
- 6. Brush with egg wash; cut 1–2 small vents. Bake 20 min at 220°C/200°C fan (425°F/400°F).
- 7. Reduce to 180°C/160°C fan (350°F) and bake 30–35 min more until deep golden. Rest 10 min.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic Cornish-style pasty: sturdy hand-crimped pastry with a peppery, juicy filling.
- No pre-cooking the filling—everything bakes together for maximum flavor and simplicity.
- Built for travel: flaky yet robust pastry that holds its shape in hand.
- Clear, test-kitchen style steps to help you nail the seal and crimp.
Grocery List
- Produce: Waxy potatoes, swede (rutabaga), yellow onion
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, egg, milk (for egg wash)
- Pantry: Strong bread flour, lard, fine sea salt, black pepper, plain flour
- Meat: Beef skirt steak
Full Ingredients
Pastry
- 500 g strong bread flour (about 4 cups)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 125 g unsalted butter, cold and diced (9 tbsp)
- 120 g lard, cold and diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 175 ml ice-cold water (3/4 cup)
Filling
- 350 g beef skirt steak, trimmed and finely diced to 0.5 cm (12 oz)
- 250 g waxy potatoes (e.g., Yukon Gold), peeled and finely diced to 0.5 cm (2 cups)
- 175 g swede/rutabaga, peeled and finely diced to 0.5 cm (1.5 cups)
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced (1 cup)
- 1.5 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (generous for the classic kick)
- 1 tbsp plain flour (to lightly bind juices)
- 30 g unsalted butter, cut into 4 small knobs (2 tbsp)
To Finish
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk or water (egg wash)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make a sturdy pastry
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the cold diced butter and lard, tossing to coat. Using fingertips, rub the fat into the flour until you have a mix of pea-sized pieces with some sandy crumbs—do not overwork; visible bits of fat help flakiness. Drizzle in the ice-cold water and mix with a butter knife or fork until the dough just clumps together. Turn onto the counter and knead gently for 20–30 seconds to bring it together. Divide into 4 equal pieces, press into discs, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
Step 2: Prep the filling
Finely dice the skirt steak, potato, swede, and onion to about 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) pieces. Uniform dice ensures even cooking. Combine in a bowl with the salt, black pepper, and 1 tbsp flour; toss well. Keep the mixture refrigerated while you roll the pastry.
Step 3: Roll the pastry rounds
Working with one disc at a time on a lightly floured surface, roll to a 22 cm (8.5–9 inch) round, about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick. Use a plate as a template to trim a clean circle if needed. Keep the remaining discs chilled so they stay firm.
Step 4: Fill and dot with butter
Mound one-quarter of the filling onto one half of the pastry round, leaving a 2 cm (3/4 inch) border around the edge. Dot the filling with a knob of butter.
Step 5: Seal and hand-crimp
Brush the bare edge with a little water. Fold the pastry over the filling to form a half-moon and press to seal. Starting at one end, turn and pinch the edge over itself repeatedly to create a rope-like crimp along the curved side. Aim for a neat, tight seal so juices stay inside. Place the pasty on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the crimp sitting upright on top in the traditional D shape.
Step 6: Chill, glaze, and vent
Chill the shaped pasties for 15–20 minutes while you heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F (400°F). Brush all over with egg wash. Cut 1–2 small vents near the top center to allow steam to escape and prevent bursting.
Step 7: Bake hot, then finish lower
Bake for 20 minutes at 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F (400°F) to set the crust and start browning. Reduce the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F and bake a further 30–35 minutes until deep golden and the filling is tender; juices may gently bubble from the vents. Internal temperature in the center should be about 85–90°C (185–195°F). Rest 10 minutes before serving—this lets the juices settle so the pasty stays crisp and neat when eaten by hand.
Pro Tips
- Use strong bread flour for a robust, crimpable pastry that won’t slump.
- Keep everything cold—fat, water, and dough. Cold fat equals flaky layers.
- Dice filling to 0.5 cm; larger chunks can stay underdone while the pastry browns.
- Do not overfill; a modest mound seals better and bakes more evenly.
- Bake on a preheated baking sheet or steel for extra bottom crispness.
Variations
- Cheese & onion: Swap beef for 200 g grated mature cheddar plus extra onion; season generously and add a pinch of mustard powder.
- Steak & Stilton: Add 75 g crumbled Stilton to the classic beef and veg for a rich twist.
- Veggie root medley: Replace beef with finely diced mushrooms and extra swede/carrot; add 1 tbsp chopped thyme.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate baked pasties up to 4 days; reheat at 180°C/160°C fan (350°F) for 15–20 minutes. Freeze baked pasties up to 3 months; reheat from frozen at 180°C/160°C fan (350°F) for 30–35 minutes. To freeze unbaked pasties, assemble and crimp, then freeze on a tray. Once solid, wrap well. Bake from frozen: egg wash, vent, then bake 25 minutes at 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F (400°F), reduce to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F and bake 35–40 minutes more (total 60–65 minutes), watching color.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate: 1,200 calories; 63 g fat; 113 g carbohydrates; 40 g protein; 4 g fiber; 850 mg sodium. Values will vary based on exact ingredients and sizes.
