Traditional Cornish Pasty
A hearty, portable pastry filled with beef, potato, swede and onion — properly crimped and golden. Classic British comfort food, made from scratch with a flaky shortcrust and the filling cooked inside the pastry for juicy, old-school results.
The Cornish pasty is proper British working-class genius: a hand-held pie filled with beef, potato, swede and onion, crimped into a tidy half-moon and baked until glorious. It was designed to keep miners fed and not spill in a lunchbox — solid, comforting and utterly transportable.
Make these when you want a lunch that’s dinner-sized, or when you fancy something nostalgic and reliably filling. The trick is in the size and uniformity of the dice and a flaky, cold pastry — the rest is happily forgiving.
Ingredients
- 350 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 200 g cold unsalted butter — cut into 1cm cubes
- cold water — 4–6 tbsp, add until dough just comes together
- 5 ml salt (for pastry)
- 450 g beef (preferably chuck, skirt or brisket), trimmed — cut into 1cm dice
- 200 g potato (Maris Piper or floury), peeled — cut into 1cm dice
- 150 g swede (rutabaga), peeled — cut into 1cm dice
- 1 onion — about 100g, finely chopped
- 5 ml salt (for filling)
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 1 egg — beaten, for glaze
- 15 ml flour (for dusting)
Equipment
- baking tray
- rolling pin
- pastry brush
- food processor or pastry cutter (optional)
- wire rack
Instructions
Make the pastry: put 350g plain flour and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl. Add the 200g cold diced butter and rub (or pulse in a food processor) until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Bring the pastry together with 4–6 tbsp cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until it just forms a rough, slightly shaggy dough. Flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
While pastry chills, prepare the filling: trim and cut 450g beef into 1cm dice (small uniform pieces are essential). Peel and dice 200g potato and 150g swede into the same size. Finely chop 1 onion. Put beef, potato, swede and onion in a bowl, sprinkle over 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper and toss to combine.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C) / 400°F / Gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Roll the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 4–5mm thick. Using a plate or cutter about 20–22cm diameter, cut four circles. Re-roll trimmings if needed.
Place a quarter of the filling mixture (about 200–230g) off-centre on each circle, leaving a 2–3cm rim. Brush the rim lightly with cold water, fold pastry over to form a D-shape and gently press to seal.
Transfer pasties to the prepared tray. Brush with beaten egg for a glossy finish. If you want a matt finish, skip the egg wash or brush with milk.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50–60 minutes until deep golden and sounds hollow when tapped. (If using a probe, the thickest part of the filling should reach 75°C / 167°F.)
Rest for 10 minutes on a wire rack before serving — this helps the juices settle and makes the pasty easier to eat.
Tips
- Dice meat and vegetables uniformly (1cm) so everything cooks at the same rate — this is the single most important tip for success.
- Keep pastry and butter cold throughout. If the dough warms, chill for 10–20 minutes before rolling.
- You can assemble pasties and freeze uncooked on the tray (covered) for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 10–15 minutes to the cooking time and cover with foil if browning too fast.
- If the top is browning but the centre isn’t cooked, tent with foil for the last 20 minutes to avoid burning.
- Make a batch of pastry ahead and freeze wrapped; thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Substitutions
cold unsalted butter → cold lard or beef dripping, same weight (200g) — for a more traditional, slightly flakier, savoury pastry
Stays closediced beef → 400g beef mince
Noticeably differentswede (rutabaga) → carrot (same weight) or a mix of carrot and turnip
Noticeably differenthomemade pastry → ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, 500g pack
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 1288
- Calories
- 42 g
- Protein
- 80 g
- Carbs
- 63 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I precook the filling?
You can lightly brown the beef and soften the onion for extra depth, but traditional Cornish pasties use raw filling so the meat and veg cook in their juices while baking. If you pre-cook, reduce oven time and ensure the filling is well drained to avoid soggy pastry.
Can I freeze pasties?
Yes — freeze uncooked, sealed pasties on a tray, then transfer to a bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding ~10–15 minutes to the bake time and check the centre temperature.
How do I reheat a leftover pasty?
Reheat in a 180°C oven for 15–20 minutes from chilled, or 25–30 minutes from frozen, until piping hot throughout. Microwaving makes the pastry soggy.
Why are the edges crimped?
The crimp is traditional and practical: it seals in juices and makes a handy handle for miners who kept the crimped edge outside their glove while eating.
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