Pastry for Pasties

Pastry for Pasties is a traditional English recipe (from Cornwall) for a pastry of flour, lard and suet that's the traditional covering for Cornish pasties. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic English version of: Pastry for Pasties.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

25 minutes

Total Time:

45 minutes

Makes:

6

Rating:

Tags : British RecipesEnglish RecipesCornish Recipes

Original Version

This is a classic recipe derived from the 1929 volume of traditional Cornish recipes: Cornish Recipes, Ancient and Modern, Edith Martin, Truro, 1929

The relevant chapter being the one on Pasties (With varies Fillings)

Any good pastry may be used, but it should to be too flaky or too rich. A very useful pastry is:

One pound flour, 1/2 lb. lard and suet, 1/2 teaspoonful salt, mix with water

When the pastry is made, roll out about 1/4 inch thick, and cut into rounds with a plate to the size desired.
     Lay the rounds on the pastry board with half the round over the rolling pin and put in the fillings, damp the edges lightly and fold over into a semi-circle. Shape the pastry nicely and 'crimp' the extreme edges where it is joined between the finger and thumb. Cut a split in the centre of the pastry, lay on a baking sheet and bake in a quick oven, so that it keeps its shape.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

500g plain flour
225g lard, diced
225g shredded suet
1/2 tsp sea salt
cold water to bind

Method:

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Dice the lard and suet into the bowl with the flour and rub into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add enough water to bring the mixture together as a stiff, slightly friable dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and roll out to about 6mm thick.

For use, cut into rounds about the size of a plate, fill one half of the round with your choice of filling, fold over to enclose the filling then crimp the edges closed and bake.