Food.The Complete Cornish Pasty.
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The Cornish Pasty , the Practical Pie!
Cornwall is at the end of the road in the South West of England and its furthest point is Land's End, the peninsular that juts out into the English Channel with a sprinkling of little islands , the Isles of Scilly just beyond. It is a remote part with wild moor land and a craggy coast line with little coves beloved of smugglers in olden times.
The men of Cornwall used to be fishermen, farmers or miners. Since medieval times, tin then copper were mined in Cornwall. This continued up until modern times. These hard working men needed food to sustain them during their long working day underground. Hence the Cornish Pasty was born. This pasty is a whole meal wrapped up in pastry. Meat and vegetables were diced and encapsulated in short crust pastry and baked in an oven until the juicy gravy is seen to be seeping from the crust. Some enterprising wives were known to put a spoonful of jam at one end of the pasty so that the meal was completed with dessert. Such pasties would easily fit in a pocket and could be carried to the depths of the mines.They were often decorated with the owners initials so that no one would eat the wrong one. The contents are very dense so often the Cornish Pasty would still be warm at lunchtime.
Copper was soon foundin greater abundance in other parts of the world. Cornish miners were forced to seek work elsewhere. In the famous Comstock silver mine in Virginia City Nevada, the highest paid workers in the United states were Cornish miners. Wherever they went, the Cornish Pasty went with them. In Grass Valley on Highway 49, California, Cornish Pasties are still made.
Nowadays, the Duchy of Cornwall mainly depends on tourism for its income. Visitors love the Cornish pasty as it provides a very portable and satisfying picnic meal. Also it can easily be eaten without a knife and fork or even a plate! Shops and roadside snack bars abound selling pasties to the visiting holiday makers.A vegetarian version has become popular these days as the Cornish Pasty is a very versatile dish, though I doubt if a Cornish Miner would appreciate it while eating his lunch a mile underground! I expect words would fly when he returned home!
Ingredients makes approx. 4 pasties.
NB as with all these traditional recipes the vegetables and meat depended upon what was available and according to Season
12 oz cubed lean meat (usually beef) ......Pork or a mixture of both is good!
4 oz Chopped onion ........ small carrot chopped into cubes.........3 oz Garden Peas
8 oz Potato chopped into cubes......3 oz.Turnip chopped into cubes.......(Rutabagas in USA.)
Short crust pastry......Greased Baking tray......Beaten Egg to glaze........Salt and Pepper to taste
Note: All the ingredients are made into the pasty raw. and cooked in the pastry case.
Method
Prepare your short crust pastry and roll out not too thinly as it has to contain the bulky filling. Take a dinner plate, place it face down on the pastry and carefully cut round it. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Scoop up a quantity and place carefully in the middle of the circle. Fold the pastry together over the filling and crimp the edges together, wetting the edges with milk or water to bind. If the pastry is straining too much, remove some of the filling as it will expand a little on cooking. Brush the pasties with beaten egg or milk to glaze. Poke a hole at the top of the pasty to let out the steam.
Place the pasties on a greased baking sheet and put in a hot oven 425 F for twenty minutes then reduce to 325 F and cook twenty minute longer or until the juice oozes out. Allow to cool then find a delightful spot on the beach and enjoy.
Satisfaction guaranteed!
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Comments
I really can't tell you. It started off at 33 while I was writing it and when I finished it today I couldn't spot it at first because it had got lost amongst my other ones. It is one of the mysteries of hub pages scoring. Mine go up and down like yo yos. my personal score was 97 but now it's 92
Thank you so much for the backstory on these pasties. I had, of course, heard much of the story of their origins before, and have made something like them several times - they are still a good working-lunch option, especially when one is out in the open air without plates and silverware!
I have always found the Cornish Coast to be a fascinating place in stories and legend. I have read several stories about people there, and one common thread has been what seems to be an abnormally large incidence of the paranormal - ghostly sightings, and legendary creatures, and mysteries galore. So tell me - do you yourself know much about these legends, and if so, could you do a hub or three on them? I have done some searching, and haven't yet found much online about them. Perhaps they are mostly oral stories.
You mention the prevalence of smugglers, but what else is there about this corner of the world that would create such a persistent air of mystery?
Much thanks for any help you could give here.
I always look forward to your new recipes. This one is a must have. Now for my true confessions, I have to find someone to make these things for me, I don't cook, I just love fine cuisine. My mouth is watering, so I am sure i will have no problems as I share this recipe in exchange for a dinner invitation. Thanks!
Hi Joy, I will look into it. The people of Cornwall are Celts and are a pretty psychic lot. Very interesting part of the world. Stand by!
Hi Emohealer, thanks for stopping by. I think that would be a fair swop!
Awesome, thanks for the recipe. I love these.
With all these great foods you keep presenting I wonder if there is a weight problem in Wales? It certainly looks like one could easily over eat and thus gain lots of extra weight...
Regards
You are writing a book on food and culture, for sure. If you are not you should.
Thanks for this great series GW...I'm really enjoying it! We have something similar in India...the filling is largely vegetarian of course, and ranges from the savoury to the sweet, depending on the region it's made.
Those look yum! am yet to taste all those lovely recipes you write about, thanks a lot for sharing :)
Hi Andre, thanks for dropping by, glad you like them, they are so tasty!
Thanks for the comment, rb11, I eat well ad keep active and I'm sure a lot of peoplle who eat these dishes do too. I don't know the statitics but I bet the problem is not as bad as the good old USA!
Every recipe you present seems more and more enticing. Could it be that I am becoming influenced by Wales culture because I read so many of these? Anyway, that sounds great, and I am definitely going to head up 49 to check it out, the plane ticket is just too darn expensive for me right now ;-)
Now that cornish pastie looks way tastier than the crap Tesco sell !
Great pix. They make me hungry! :)
No turnips available here - is there a substitute available?
Hi Kushal you may be right! I m in the swing as we say!
Hello Feline Prophet, I'm glad you are enjoying these tasty old recipes.
Kiran8, time to get cooking! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Alexander, You could always try making one in Carmichael, even closer than Grass Valley! Thanks for dropping by.
Hi Bad Company, Home made is always best
Thanks for stopping by Quicksand, that was the desired effect!
Hello Papalaz, thanks for pointing that out. Either leave out the turnip or substitute Rutabaga (swede or yellow turnip in Europe)
Yummity yum yum! I haven't had one of these in ages! To me, it's just the Brits' version of an Empanada! :) Great job, Gypsy.
Thanks Iroihner, Glad to ee you!
I love to read your food (alas, a poor substitute to actually eating them)
Sorry, Kushal, maybe these cold country foods would not be so suitable in your hot country. You'll have to visit the UK to enjoy them!
I love proper Cornish Pasties. There are some poor imitations sold in our city. I shall link this useful hub to my cornish reviews :)
I was West of the Tamar myself at Easter, and enjoyed a very tasty (veggie) version of the famous dish. You can't beat a home-made pasty!
Hi Ethel, I remember some not so good ones in Cornwall too! Thanks for the link offer. I appreciate that and your visit.
Hi Amanda. perhaps I should add a footnote about vegetarian ones these days. I bet that the poor old Cornish wife would get an earful if she sent hubby off down the mines with that version! Thanks for the comment.
I love food and have always been facinated with self contained food. These look AbFab. I fell in love with the Jamaican version when I was 8 years old. Have loved the idea of a meal wrapped up ever since.
Good for you! Thanks for the comment, hope all is well
Yummy, I love the Cornish Pasty one of my favorite things. I always have them when I go back to the UK. I make them at home and my family says I'm pretty good but I'll have to try yours too. Thanks for the hub :)
This is a bad time to be reading this. It's 5:30 Pm and the pictures are ravashing! I'm drooling.
I keep running into hubs about Cornwall. It's surfing in Cornwall, pretty Cornish scenery, now yummy Cornish pasties. It seems like Cornwall is calling me.
Time to buy a ticket, Cornwall is wonderful!
Gypsy Willow, thanks for sharing about this item. They look awesome tempts us to fly over and buy it right away :) Hope they sell this in the US :)
Hey there Cgull, I've just taught you to make your own! Thanks for dropping by!
Your pasty looks good, sure they taste good too!
Thanks for stopping by, ALB21467. They are great tasting and practical too. Why not try making them?
Hi Gypsy, 100% I will "DO" them, coz' I love cooking! Thanks for new info and addition to my kitchen eploration! More power!
Hey, ALB21467 glad you are going to make them. Have you checked out my other traditional British recipes? How about another Cornish dish next? Stargazy Pie!! Gypsy.
I will try all your recipes as long as I can find the ingredients. And I usually cook the special recipes when I am in the good mood for cooking!
Thanks, I really really enjoy browsing your hubs! CHEERS!
Good for you, ALB21467! I hope you enjoy them. BON APPETIT!!!
Singular Investor says:
6 months ago
Cornish Pasties are great - thanks for the nice recipe. But tell me your secret of how you get a new hub to have a score of 67, all mine start off in the low 40s and slowly mature !