When it’s a Cornish Style Beef Pastry. I’m not even sure what a Cornish Pastry is, so I looked it up. It’s a British baked turnover pastry associated with Cornwall. Does that help? Didn’t help me.
As an American with a sweet-tooth, a turnover pastry should be a warm dessert filled with things like cinnamon apples or succulent peaches in their natural juices. Turns out a traditional Cornish Pastry has PGI status in Europe, which is meaningless here. However in Europe they take their Protected Geographical Indication very seriously. In Europe a Cornish Pastry must meet all sorts of specifications to be called a Cornish Pastry. Here in America a Corn Dog is a Corn Dog be it baked or fried and the dog inside doesn’t even have to have any meat whatsoever. Eating in America is a crap shoot at best.
What I can tell you is that a Cornish Pastry is filled with diced beef, potatoes and onions, then seasoned with salt and pepper. It’s wrapped in a turnover pastry dough, then baked in the oven. Having never had one before, I don’t really know what to compare my feeble attempt at a British Dish to. What I can tell you is that it’s very filling, and the pastry is oh so flakey. We did find it a bit dry. I don’t know if that’s normally the case or if we needed to add some gravy to the filling. You be the judge.
One thing I will tell you is that I’m going to play around with the fillings – shredded barbecue beef would be an excellent spin on a freezer-special known as a Hot Pocket. Spicy Beef-Chorizo filling with lots of cheese would also be something I’d like to try. Oh, and Beef Stew. Yeah, the possibilities are endless. Thank you Lord for taste buds and an imagination.
Cornish Style Beef Pastries
Filling
1/2 lb Top Round Steak
1 large Russet Potatoes
1/2 cup Baby Carrots
1/4 White Onion
1 tablespoon Parsley
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
4 tablespoons Butter
Cut steak into half-inch pieces. Peel potatoes, cut into half-inch cubes. Peel and dice the carrots. Peel and finely chop onion. Mince parsley.
In a large bowl combine the steak, potatoes, carrots, onion and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Melt butter, pour over meat mixture, toss to coat; set aside.
Pastry
3 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Shortening
8 tablespoons Ice Water or as needed
1 Egg
Heat oven to 350-degrees. Spread a thin layer of shortening over a large rimmed baking sheet, set aside.
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening until mixture forms pea-size crumbs. Sprinkle with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing gently with a fork, until dough forms a ball. DO NOT over-mix.
Divide dough in 6 portions. Roll out one portion at a time into a 8-inch circle. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Divide the filling amont the pastry circles, mounding slightly on half of each circle. Moisten edge with water; fold dough over the mixture, press to seal edges with a forl. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.
Cut slits in the top of each pastry. Lightly beat egg, brush over the tops of the pastry. Bake in the heated oven for about 45 minutes or so, until golden brown and cooked through.
“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is Your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.”
Glory and praise for ever!
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