Cornish Pasties

Total Time: 2 hrs 5 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter, diced
• 1/2 cup lard or 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (e.g. crisco)
• 5 -6 tablespoons cold water
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 lb chuck steak, diced (ground beef may also be used, but at a loss of texture)
• 1 russet potato, diced (~6oz.)
• 1 cup rutabaga, diced (~6oz.)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs, of your choice
• 1 egg, beaten until just frothy
• salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 sift flour and salt into a large bowl.
• 2 using a pastry blender, your fingertips or 2 knives, cut in the butter and lard/vegetable shortening.
• 3 sprinkle the chilled water over the dough, adding more if necessary.
• 4 knead the pastry on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes or until smooth.
• 5 wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• 6 if you refrigerate for a fair more than this time, you will probably have to let the pastry dough sit out for a bit after removing it from the fridge to allow it to become pliable again.
• 7 preheat oven to 425f.
• 8 divide pastry into 6 equal pieces.
• 9 roll each piece into a circle on a lightly floured surface.
• 10 mix filling ingredients in a bowl and then spoon an equal amount onto each round of pastry.
• 11 be aware that you are going to fold the circles in half, so spoon accordingly.
• 12 brush the edges of the pastry rounds with water and fold in half.
• 13 press edges firmly to seal, then crimp.
• 14 brush pasties with beaten egg.
• 15 bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325f and bake for 1 hour more.
• 16 do not undercook as you must make sure the meat gets throughly cooked.
• 17 serve hot or cold.
• 18 you may add additional vegetables like carrots, celery, spinach, etc.
• 19 to the filling, if you desire.