Cornish Pasties
Hand-sized pastry parcels of raw beef, potato, swede and onion, baked until the filling cooks in its own steam. Makes four, in 90 minutes.
How to Cook Cornish Pasties
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Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C / 355°F fan). Roll out the pastry and cut four rounds about 20 cm across, using a plate as a guide.
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Mix the beef, potato, swede and onion in a bowl with the salt and pepper.
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Pile a quarter of the filling in the middle of each round and dot with butter. Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg.
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Bring the edges up over the filling to meet in the middle. Press together, then fold and pinch the seam along the top to make a crimped ridge.
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Set the pasties on a lined tray, brush with egg and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C / 285°F fan) and bake for another 30 minutes until golden. Rest for 10 minutes before eating.
Things to Watch For
- Slice the potato and swede to 3 mm so they soften at the same pace as the meat.
- If the seam splits while you crimp, patch it with a scrap of pastry and a dab of egg.
- Let them rest for 10 minutes; the filling is very hot straight from the oven.
- Check them at 40 minutes if your oven runs hot.
A Little Background
Most home pasties go wrong in one place: the filling is cooked first, so it turns to mush inside the pastry. The fix is raw. Thin slices of beef, potato, swede and onion go in uncooked and cook in their own steam.
Slice everything thinly, about 3 mm. The potato needs to cook in the same time as the meat, and thick chunks would still be hard when the pastry is brown.
Season hard. Raw vegetables take a lot of salt and pepper, and the filling gets no second chance once the crimp is closed.
The crimp matters more than it looks. Press the edges together firmly and fold them over, or the juices leak out onto the tray and the pastry underneath goes soft. A pasty is meant to be eaten from the hand, so make the crimp sturdy enough to hold the heat. Wrapped in a clean tea towel, they stay warm for a long time and travel well in a lunch bag or on a cold walk.
What to Serve It With
Brown sauce · Pickled onions · Side salad · Mug of tea
Storing Leftovers
Cool completely and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat at 180°C for 15 minutes. Baked pasties freeze well for up to 3 months; reheat from frozen at 180°C for 25 minutes.
Common Questions
How long does Cornish Pasties take to make?
About 1 hour 30 minutes in total — 40 minutes of preparation and 50 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Cornish Pasties?
Slice the potato and swede to 3 mm so they soften at the same pace as the meat. If the seam splits while you crimp, patch it with a scrap of pastry and a dab of egg. Let them rest for 10 minutes; the filling is very hot straight from the oven. Check them at 40 minutes if your oven runs hot.
What should I serve with Cornish Pasties?
Brown sauce; Pickled onions; Side salad; Mug of tea.
Can Cornish Pasties be made ahead or frozen?
Cool completely and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat at 180°C for 15 minutes. Baked pasties freeze well for up to 3 months; reheat from frozen at 180°C for 25 minutes.
Is Cornish Pasties suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Cornish Pasties?
About 724 kcal per serving, with 26 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate and 40 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Cornish Pasties Nutrition Facts
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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