The Pasties – the photos

Have a look at the results :

These are large pasties – they measure 22cms/8½” x 12cms/4½” over the middle. Cut in half or leave whole if you're feeding hungry hoards or have a very large appetite!

The bonus – you can make a batch of the pastry, divide, weigh and wrap and treat the filling in the same way. I took my own advice and made two pasties and popped the remaining portioned pastry and filling into the freezer, ready for when I needed a comfort food fix.

I should also say that authentic Cornish pasties are cooked with raw ingredients – I've “borrowed” the pastry, used my own filling and am very pleased that I did!

A small tip - pasties will keep warm for a long time - wrap them straight from the oven in either greaseproof or baking paper and then a clean tea towel. It does work and the pasty will stay warm – it definitely saves burning your mouth when you're itching to devour.

Ta dah – and economical too!

The Pasty – assembly and crimpinology

If you'd like to create a perfect circle of pastry the simplest way is to use a 20cm cake tin upside down, on top of your rolled out portion of pastry, using a round bladed knife trim off any excess and there you have it.

Edge your circle of pastry with the egg wash then place your filling in the middle of the circle. Here's where a cool filling comes into its own – you are able to mould it to suit the size of the pastry then fold to glue the edges and bring together. Press down the edges, giving yourself enough pastry edge to crimp – as a guide 1.5cms/½” approximately.

Here's the pastry folded over the filling and pressed down

firmly into a semi circle – sort of!

To crimp is to compress into small folds. To become a competent crimper takes lots of practice – be brave and have a go!

Have the pasty in front of you as illustrated in the photo above. If you are right handed begin on the right – on the left if you are left handed. Fold the corner end of the pasty over, place your thumb into the fold – this will help give you an even crimp, fold the pastry edge over and over towards you and continue until you reach the other end, tuck the end underneath and press to seal. Complete by making a small incision in the top of the pasty to release the steam.

They look like this :

Crimped and ready to egg wash

Egg washed and ready for the oven

You don't have to give yourself a hard time – it's not compulsory to crimp, edge the pasty with a small fork as an alternative option.

Place your past(ies) on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Bake in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 30 minutes.

Next – the epitome of comfort food!

The Pasty - the filling!

Cheese, potato and onion pie filling

gives generous filling enough

for four large pasties

700g of Maris Piper (or similar variety)

potatoes, boiled and then mashed

2 medium onions, finely diced and

sautéed with a knob of unsalted butter and

a drop of rapeseed oil until softened – 5 minutes

2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

150g of Mature Cheddar cheese, grated

75g each of Red Leicester and Gruyere cheese, grated

Black pepper

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Baking sheet, lined with baking parchment

Boil the potatoes until cooked – test by using a paring knife which will pass through easily. Drain and then mash roughly, add the Mature Cheddar cheese, mustard and black pepper. Add the sautéed onion and remaining grated cheese, mix well. Set aside to cool.

The advantage of using a rough mash and adding the cheddar cheese before the onion and remaining cheeses gives you a stiff filling and one that is easy to control which is essential when assembling and completing your pasty. You are able to mould the filling easily – it remains firm and doesn't spill all over your worktop.

Just in case you might be tempted – do not add any “liquid” i.e. milk or an egg – to the mash, it needs to be firm, adding liquid will turn your filling into mush!

Be patient, it's important to let the filling cool completely, you'll be pleased with the result.

Assembly and crimpinology ...

The Pasties - hints and tips

It may seem a bit of a faff but I'd recommend weighing both your pastry and your filling, you don't have to be obsessive about it – an “ish” will do.

As a guide you'll have 1lb 13oz or 840g of pastry – divide into four weighing approximately 7oz ish/210g each. Place each portion on a sheet of cling film, gather and wrap, moulding into a ball shape. Bag all four and fridge.

Treat your filling in the same way. It's much easier to deal with the filling when it has cooled – it won't interfere with your pastry and you won't scald your hands! You should have 1.346g of filling, divide into four portions of 11½oz ish/ 336g each, cling film and mould in the same way as the pastry.

Here's a couple of photos :

By weighing, wrapping and moulding your pasties are of a similar size so no arguments! 

Can be used for all manner of pastries pasties and whatever takes your fancy!

Now for the filling ...

Editor's July Pick #4: The Cornish Pasty – the golden rules

Editor's note: Much like the photo guides being an invaluable addition, the hints and tips are also mega handy. I often forget that other people have different tastes, and had never considered the difference between meat and non-meat versions so it is really thoughtful to have these posts and remind myself there's a lot I don't consider! As a bonus, I have included the finished product to whet your appetite! 

The Cornish Pasty – the golden rules

This series may seem a tad long winded but these culinary masterpieces should not be rushed!

The filling is always raw and is baked at the same time as the pastry. The pasty is a meal in itself and in Cornwall it's actually considered an insult to serve them with anything else.

The meat content should be diced, never minced. The beef should be either chuck steak or skirt – also known as blade. A pasty should contain 12.5% beef. The vegetables should be finely sliced of a similar size so they cook evenly and the potatoes should be an “old variety” which will “fall”. Use strong plain flour – the sort used in bread making. As you can see, this is not an expensive meal – at it's roots the pasty evolved from humble ingredients that were plentiful and nutritious. The meat element was the most costly which is probably why the percentage of meat is as small as it is.

Think of the pasty as a pressure cooker – you need to release steam – place a small hole in the top of the pasty. Don't be tempted to tuck into your pasty straight from the oven – trust me – the inside stays hot for a long time.

Pasties are usually personalised with initials – top left, others say top right – who knows! It does however date back I think to the miners when some owners provided large ovens at the surface to keep the pasties hot for the men. A useful tip for today if you're tweaking the filling to suit your family and friends' preferences!

You'll read all sorts of “do's and don'ts” about pasty pastry and to be fair, there's no right or wrong way, all I can tell you is what follows works. See the proof below:

Editor's July Pick #3: The Cornish pasty recipes – the filling

Editor's note: Onwards to the fun part of the collection - the filling! Now as is usual I run before I can walk and immediately think of 20 odd things to stuff in pastry but it is worth sticking with the original if it's your first time having a go! Save the experimentation until after you've walked for a while! I am speaking from experience!

The Cornish pasty recipes – the filling

The traditional filling – per pasty

50g/2oz onion

50g/2oz turnip or swede

100g/4oz beef skirt, blade or chuck steak

150g/6oz sliced potatoes

salt and black pepper

Make sure the meat is free of fat and cut into similar sized pieces ¼” (6mm) and ensure that the turnip and onion is too. Cut your potatoes into quarters and then finely slice. You can submerge the potatoes in a bowl of cold water until you're ready to mix your filling together – drain and pat dry. Slice the onion and turnip to a similar size.

You have two options, layer each of the ingredients and season as you go then complete with a layer of potato. Don't salt the last layer, you'll affect the taste of the pastry.

Alternatively place all your ingredients in a large mixing bowl, season and mix well, cover and set aside to rest whilst you're rolling out the pastry. This option allows the ingredients to absorb all the flavours.

That's the recipe for a pasty with meat, here's mine without :

Veggie Pasty filling

sufficient for two pasties

100g/4oz leek

100g/4oz onion

150g/6oz sliced potatoes

celery salt

black pepper

dried parsley

As with the previous recipe, ensure that the veggies are sliced to a similar size – ¼”/6mm. I used a new potato – the Gold, a Charlotte would be perfect too. The reason I used a new potato is that I wanted there to be evidence of the potato with the other veggies and not a mush. It's more appropriate with the meat and potato that an “old” variety of potato is used to combine with the meat and other ingredients. Mix the veggies together and season well.

More photos up next and the end is in sight!

Editor's July Pick #2: The Cornish pasty – pastry photo guide

Editor's note: Next up we have the accompanying photo guide. Sometimes the photos are just what I need to make me try a recipe - sometimes it's a "Here's what you could have won" moment but that's user error on my part! The photo guides are an invaluable resource for forever-beginners like myself, a reassuring look over the shoulder of someone who knows what they're doing!

The Cornish pasty – pastry photo guide

I've been careful to photograph each step for this iconic delicacy and rather than bombard you with heaps of photos at the end I'm giving you them in stages, which I think you'll find more helpful and less likely to make you want to throw in the towel and give up!

Hang in there, it's worth it.

your veggie alternative to lard

ready to rub in

it looks very strange!

now it looks like dough

ready to wrap

safely gathered in

the clean bowl speaks for itself

Now for the filling!

Editor's July Pick #1: The Cornish pasty

Editor's note: After last week's selections mentioning pastry, I had it on the brain so off I went in search of a full how to, and as usual the archives deliver - in spades! So this week is a pastry special, and what better way to get to grips with it than with Cornish pasties! First up, pasty pastry done right:

The Cornish pasty – the recipes

Here's the basic pastry recipe :

Pasty pastry

This recipe will give you four eight inch (21cms) pasties

450g/1lb strong white bread flour

large pinch of salt

100g/4oz of margarine

100g/4oz lard

175ml/3^rd pint water

cling film

Place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add 25g/1oz of lard and rub into the flour. Grate or slice the rest of the fats into the bowl and stir, using a round bladed knife. Pour all the water into the bowl and mix together with the knife. Keep the dough in the bowl and using your hand bring the dough together and knead using the heel of your hand. Tip the dough onto a sheet of cling film and use the film to bring the dough together in a fat circle. Wrap the dough twice in cling film, bag and fridge. Chill it for at least 30 minutes.

Before we go any further I can hear you exclaiming – LARD! - what is she thinking. You don't have to use lard, for me and other vegetarians out there, use either Trex or Cookeen – panic over! The lard is part of the original recipe. I used unsalted butter instead of the margarine.

For those who are used to making pastry, no matter how basic, this will seem an odd method. I promise you it works. Not only does it work I'd say it's the best result I've ever had.

For example, it doesn't matter if you fridge it to chill for 30 minutes and, surprise surprise, you get distracted and remember two hours later. It does not affect the end result.

A tip – as you can see the recipe gives you four pasties from the batch of pastry. When you're ready to roll (sorry!) cut the pastry into four equal portions. At this stage you can please yourself – make two pasties and then wrap the remaining two separately in cling film, bag and freeze for another day.

Take the frozen pastry out of the freezer the night before you want it and fridge it.

It behaves impeccably – just as if freshly made.

Next up, a pastry photo guide so far.

Pasty gate – the verdicts

Margaret reported in as promised – short and to the point … “delicious – again please!” I'll take that, thank you!

Then I had a light bulb moment! In these troubled times I've heard, already, that Christmas celebrations are hanging in the balance. There's also the question of gifts. Off the cuff I asked Margaret what she thought about making a list of her favourite food treats I could give her for Christmas – that went down very well.

I suspect the list already includes, apart from a pasty or two (note to self, halved and easy therefore to freeze and take a portion when the mood takes) lemon drizzle syrup, cheese scones – I could go on, the final choices coming soon!

News just in and a direct quote from my other tester friends - “we saved the precious cargo until today ...”.

“... really loved it, especially the pastry – recipes by email please! I'll try it and let you know how I go.”

I should explain that my friend lives in the USA and is a student too – a very good one – the recipes will be winging their way across the sea to North Carolina. I've taken the liberty of saving him time and sourced a supplier for lard and a veggie shortening alternative in the US – his favourite place to shop – Walmart. I should have known!

If you have spare apples in your fruit bowl …

Pasty gate – vindication!

I appreciate it means work at home in your own kitchen and you might think it defeats the object of a “takeaway” but it's worth it. I'll gladly pay for quality but I hate the anticipation of a treat and being disappointed. More irritatingly these pasties do not contain expensive ingredients.

Despite the fact that I'm recommending making your own pasties you can make it work for you – you can make the pastry on a day when you've time and ditto with the filling, then fridge and use or freeze.

I'm not comfortable criticising M&S but it was such poor quality it had to be done. It shouldn't matter whether it's a humble pasty or a fillet de boeuf en croute – each should be given the same care and attention.

I can only assume that either the test kitchens and/or the quality control departments weren't up to scratch on that day.

Rocket science it ain't!

Then there's the verdict … my elderly friend Margaret visits for coffee once a week – distanced I might add and I gave her a lunch treat taken from my freezer – half a pasty, which, once defrosted in the fridge would be ready to warm so a takeaway treat for her. I unwrapped the pasty parcel to show her and explain warming. I have to say this bodes well – on unwrapping and therefore cold the savoury waft of the pasty made our mouths water. Hold that thought.

It's important to get a tester's opinion. I loved these pasties but that doesn't mean a whole lot – I need to know I'm not on my own.

I then gave a whole pasty to two friends for their lunch treat. This will definitely be the ultimate test – one of my friends is a Northern boy and takes his cheese and onion pasties very seriously so his opinion counts all the more.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed – that's two thoughts to “hold”!

Pasty gate – photo guide

To sum up, this is a Greggs style filling encased in a Cornish pasty pastry but with a thinner crimped crust.

Have a look at the results :

These are large pasties – they measure 22cms/8½” x 12cms/4½” over the middle. Cut in half or leave whole if you're feeding hungry hoards or have a very large appetite!

The bonus – you can make a batch of the pastry, divide, weigh and wrap and treat the filling in the same way. I took my own advice and made two pasties and popped the remaining portioned pastry and filling into the freezer, ready for when I needed a comfort food fix.

I should also say that authentic Cornish pasties are cooked with raw ingredients – I've “borrowed” the pastry, used my own filling and am very pleased that I did!

A small tip - pasties will keep warm for a long time - wrap them straight from the oven in either greaseproof or baking paper and then a clean tea towel. It does work and the pasty will stay warm – it definitely saves burning your mouth when you're itching to devour.

Next – vindication!

Pasty gate – assembly and crimpinology

If you'd like to create a perfect circle of pastry the simplest way is to use a 20cm cake tin upside down, on top of your rolled out portion of pastry, using a round bladed knife trim off any excess and there you have it.

Edge your circle of pastry with the egg wash then place your filling in the middle of the circle. Here's where a cool filling comes into its own – you are able to mould it to suit the size of the pastry then fold to glue the edges and bring together. Press down the edges, giving yourself enough pastry edge to crimp – as a guide 1.5cms/½” approximately.

If you'd like to see how this is done have a look at the Crimpinology link which will give you a photo guide. You don't have to give yourself a hard time – it's not compulsory to crimp, edge the pasty with a small fork as an alternative option.

Place your past(ies) on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Bake in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 30 minutes.

Here's the story so far :

the pasty, crimped before the egg wash

the pasty, after the egg wash, ready for

the oven

Stand by for photos of the finished product!

Pasty gate – hints and tips

It may seem a bit of a faff but I'd recommend weighing both your pastry and your filling, you don't have to be obsessive about it – an “ish” will do.

As a guide you'll have 1lb 13oz or 840g of pastry – divide into four weighing approximately 7oz ish/210g each. Place each portion on a sheet of cling film, gather and wrap, moulding into a ball shape. Bag all four and fridge.

Treat your filling in the same way. It's much easier to deal with the filling when it has cooled – it won't interfere with your pastry and you won't scald your hands! You should have 1.346g of filling, divide into four portions of 11½oz ish/ 336g each, cling film and mould in the same way as the pastry.

Here's a couple of photos :

By weighing, wrapping and moulding your pasties are of a similar size so no arguments!

Now for assembly and crimping.

Pasty gate … the filling

Cheese, potato and onion pie filling

gives generous filling enough

for four large pasties

700g of Maris Piper (or similar variety)

potatoes, boiled and then mashed

2 medium onions, finely diced and

sautéed with a knob of unsalted butter and

a drop of rapeseed oil until softened – 5 minutes

2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

150g of Mature Cheddar cheese, grated

75g each of Red Leicester and Gruyere cheese, grated

Black pepper

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Baking sheet, lined with baking parchment

Boil the potatoes until cooked – test by using a paring knife which will pass through easily. Drain and then mash roughly, add the Mature Cheddar cheese, mustard and black pepper. Add the sautéed onion and remaining grated cheese, mix well. Set aside to cool.

The advantage of using a rough mash and adding the cheddar cheese before the onion and remaining cheeses gives you a stiff filling and one that is easy to control which is essential when assembling and completing your pasty. You are able to mould the filling easily – it remains firm and doesn't spill all over your worktop.

Just in case you might be tempted – do not add any “liquid” i.e. milk or an egg – to the mash, it needs to be firm, adding liquid will turn your filling into mush!

Be patient, it's important to let the filling cool completely, you'll be pleased with the result.

Next up – hints and tips for the pastry and the filling.

Back to the back catalogue – the pasty test!

Moving on from “pasty gate” it's my turn to put my pastry and filling where my mouth is.

Let the test begin!

Here's the basic pastry recipe :

Pasty pastry

This recipe will give you four eight inch (20cms) pasties

450g/1lb strong white bread flour

large pinch of salt

100g/4oz of margarine (or unsalted butter)

100g/4oz lard (or Trex or Cookeen)

175ml/3^rd pint water

cling film

Place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add 25g/1oz of lard and rub into the flour. Grate or slice the rest of the fats into the bowl and stir, using a round bladed knife. Pour all the water into the bowl and mix together with the knife. Keep the dough in the bowl and using your hand bring the dough together and knead using the heel of your hand. Tip the dough onto a sheet of cling film and use the film to bring the dough together in a fat circle. Wrap the dough twice in cling film, bag and fridge. Chill it for at least 30 minutes.

You don't have to use lard, for me and other vegetarians out there, use either Trex or Cookeen. The lard is part of the original recipe. I used unsalted butter instead of the margarine.

For those who are used to making pastry, no matter how basic, this will seem an odd method. I promise you it works. Not only does it work I'd say it's the best result I've ever had.

For example, it doesn't matter if you fridge it to chill for 30 minutes and, surprise surprise, you get distracted and remember two hours later. It does not affect the end result.

You can freeze the pastry if you want to make ahead. Take the frozen pastry out of the freezer the night before required and fridge it. It behaves impeccably – just as if freshly made.

If you'd like some help there's a photo guide on the blog – see Cornish Pasty Pastry guide link.

Then there's the filling ...

x

Back to the back catalogue … pasties

Before the damson diversion I was talking about portable/picnic food. I can't believe it's nearly September and with the unreliable weather and Autumn approaching so the opportunities for picnics and al fresco dining diminishes.

What comes next is from the back catalogue and was to be part of the portable/picnic food, fortunately it qualifies on many other levels and so ticks several boxes.

My favourite savoury guilty “take away” pleasure is a pasty and it has to be cheese, potato and onion. During lockdown the “takeaway treat” became known as a “make at home treat”!

Imagine my joy on discovering an M&S version of said treat – here's a photo :

They looked so tempting I couldn't resist. The filling wasn't generous and the tiny pieces of potato were undercooked. It may be that I was unlucky and got a “Friday afternoon pasty”.

I thought they looked very much like Cornish pasties. However Cornish are made with specific pasty pastry – puff pastry didn't work – when you got towards the crimped edge the pastry was rock solid with little or no filling – to be specific over 2cms/¾”.

Have a look :

It's rare for me to criticise M&S, believing their products to be a cut above and not objecting to paying over and above other similar versions available. In fairness I should have taken them back but with the present situation being as it is I didn't think that was particularly sensible. I've no doubt I'd have been given a replacement sadly if you'd had to go to the bother of returning you've definitely lost the thrill of a treat.

There's confusion with this pasty – it is clearly intended to be a variation on a theme of the Cornish classic which, for the reasons explained, didn't hit the spot for me. It's time to put this to the test – a marriage of pasty pastry with a cheese, potato and onion filling.

Fingers crossed!