Cornish Pasties

Cornish Pasties can be traced back to medieval times, but the Cornish pasty is usually associated with the tin miners of Cornwall, England in the 1700s and 1800s.

Cornish pasties hold a special place in the history of Arizona’s mining communities, including Jerome. These hearty pastries were brought to the state by Cornish immigrants, known as “Cousin Jacks,” who played a pivotal role in Arizona’s mining industry.

In towns like Jerome, Globe, and Benson, pasties became a staple for miners, offering a portable and substantial meal during long shifts underground. The traditional Cornish pasty typically consists of beef (ground beef or skirt steak), potatoes, onions, and rutabaga, all encased in a flaky crust.

Miners would hold onto the crimped edge to avoid contaminating the filling with dirt or chemicals, discarding the crust afterward. Some even believed that leaving a bit of pasty crust behind would appease the “knockers,” mythical creatures thought to inhabit the mines and warn of danger.

Cornish Pasties

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Cornish Pasties can be traced back to medieval times, but the Cornish pasty is usually associated with the tin miners of Cornwall, England in the 1700s and 1800s.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 pasties 1x
• Category: Sandwiches & Wraps
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

2 large baking potatoes
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 to 1 1/2 cups water
1 (12 ounce) can corned beef (not hash)
Salt and plenty of pepper
Pie crust pastry
1 egg
1/3 cup milk

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Instructions

1. Peel potatoes and slice into 1/4-inch slices.
2. In a saucepan heat the bacon grease and slightly sauté the onion.
3. Add the sliced potatoes and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Drain any remaining water, and add the corned beef. Stir well.
5. Slightly mash some of the potatoes as you stir.
6. Add the salt and pepper.
7. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
8. Roll the pie crust pastry into individual 8-to 9-inch circles.
9. Place 1 cup of the meat and potato mixture on half of each circle, fold over, and press the edges to seal.
10. Beat together the egg and milk and brush over the pasties.
11. Place on a baking sheet.
12. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 to 50 minutes or until light brown.
13. Serve with Piccalilli (a British condiment), if desired.

There are many variations of Cornish Pasties. Here is another version you might like.

Cornish Pasties II

Pastry for 2 crust pie
1 1/2 cups peeled, thinly sliced potatoes
1 small turnip, quartered/thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrot
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg, beaten

Prepare pastry. Form dough into 6 balls; cover and refrigerate.

In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, potatoes, turnip, carrot, parsley, onion, salt and pepper. Mix well. Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

To make pasties, roll each ball of dough into an 8 inch circle. Spread 1/6 of the filling on half of each circle. Dot filling with butter. Moisten edge of each circle. Fold over. Fold edge of bottom crust over top. Seal with fingers.

Make 2 slits in top of each pasty. Brush top of each with beaten egg. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 30 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Wrap each in foil for transportation to picnic or work. Can be prepared the night before and refrigerated.

The next day, wrap in foil and head for work or picnic.

For serving, you may want to cut pasties in half and have some Piccalilli handy.

Photo credit: (c) Can Stock Photo / natavkusidey