A pie is a thing of love, never to be rushed. Cornish pasty has just been awarded protected status from European commission. Only pasties made in Cornwall to the traditional recipe can be labelled ‘Cornish pasties’. Cornish pasties should be a ‘D’ shape and crimped on the side, never on top, says the Cornish Pasty Association. Below is the Hairy Bikers version of the Cornish pasty, taken from their television series, but curiously  not featured in their Cookbook The Hairy Bikers Perfect Pies.


For the pastry:

225g  plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1t  baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
60g unsalted butter
1 free-range egg, yolk only
60ml water
1 free-range egg, beaten, for glazing

For the filling:

50g finely chopped swede
150g  potato, peeled and cut into cubes
50g onion, finely chopped
100g stewing steak steak, cut into small pieces
1T  chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pastry

  • Pulse the flour, baking powder, salt, butter and egg yolk in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  • Gradually add the water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing continuously until the mixture just comes together as a dough. (You may not need to use all the water.) Roll the dough into a ball, then wrap it in cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour.

Filling

  • Bring a pan of salted, boiling water to the boil. Add the chopped swede and potato and cook for 4-5 minutes, until tender, then drain well, refresh in cold water and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  • Roll the chilled pastry out onto a clean, floured work surface. Cut a large disc from the pastry using a dinner plate as a template. Place the onions in a line down the middle of the pastry disc. Spoon the chopped steak on top, then spoon the cooked potato and swede over it. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Brush the edge of the pastry disc with some of the beaten egg. Draw the edges of the pastry together and crimp them with your fingers to seal so that the seal sits on top of the filling. Using a knife, make a small hole in the top of the pasty and brush all over with the remaining beaten egg.
  • Place the pasty onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden-brown.

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