Equipment
Ingredients
Pastry
- 450 g strong bread flour
- 110 g unsalted butter, cold, diced
- 110 g lard, cold, diced
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 130 ml water, ice cold
Filling
- 400 g beef skirt steak, trimmed of hard fat
- 250 g waxy potato, peeled
- 150 g swede, peeled
- 150 g yellow onion, peeled
- 6 g coarse black pepper
- 8 g flaky sea salt
Glaze
- 1 egg
- 15 ml whole milk
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Combine the strong bread flour and fine sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Rub the cold diced butter and lard into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Gradually add the ice cold water, mixing gently with a knife or your hands until the dough just comes together. Knead very briefly until smooth, being careful not to overwork it.
Form the pastry dough into a disc, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes to relax the gluten.
Finely dice the beef skirt steak, waxy potatoes, swede, and yellow onion into uniform 1cm cubes. Keep all the ingredients in separate piles on your cutting board.
Divide the chilled dough into 4 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a circle approximately 5mm thick and 20cm in diameter.
Layer the filling on one half of each pastry circle in this specific order: potato, swede, beef, and onion. Season generously with the coarse black pepper and flaky sea salt between the layers.
Lightly brush the outer edge of the pastry with water. Fold the unfilled half of the pastry over the filling to form a D-shape. Seal the edges firmly, then crimp the edge by folding it over itself in a rope-like pattern.
Beat the egg and milk together in a small bowl. Brush the glaze entirely over the top and sealed edges of each pasty. Score a small 1cm slit in the top of each pasty to allow steam to escape during baking.
Place the pasties on a lined baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes to set the pastry.
Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F) and continue baking for another 40 minutes. Ensure the internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F) for food safety.
Remove the pasties from the oven and carefully transfer them to a wire rack. Let them rest for 15 minutes before serving so the hot internal juices can slightly thicken and settle.
Chef's Notes
- Using a mix of strong bread flour and plain flour gives the pastry the structural integrity needed to hold the hearty filling while retaining a tender flake.
- Do not pre-cook the filling. The raw ingredients must slowly steam together inside the pastry envelope to create the rich, starchy gravy that defines an authentic pasty.
- Skirt steak is the traditional choice for pasties due to its deep, beefy flavor and lack of hard fat, which prevents greasiness while cooking.
- To achieve a true Cornish crimp, push the edge of the pastry down with your thumb, then fold it back over itself with a slight twist, working your way along the seam.
- Layering the vegetables at the bottom and the meat on top allows the savory beef juices to baste the potatoes and swede as they bake.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze unbaked or fully baked. If baking from frozen, add 15 minutes to the baking time.
Reheating: Reheat baked pasties in a 180°C/350°F oven for 15-20 minutes to re-crisp the pastry.
