Name: Traditional Cornish pasties
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 59 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Ingredients: 500 g Bread flour or plain flour; 120 g Lard, diced; 120 g Unsalted butter, diced; 1 tsp Salt; 175 ml Cold water; 400 g Beef skirt, sliced or diced; 300 g Potatoes, peeled & diced; 150 g Swede/rutabaga, peeled & diced; 150 g Onion, peeled & diced; Salt & Black Pepper; 1 Beaten egg for egg wash

Loads from YouTube only once you press play.

The recipe

Traditional Cornish pasties

Learn how to make a traditional Cornish pasty from scratch in this easy step-by-step recipe.

20 min prep
59 min cooking
1 hour 1 min hands-off
Takes a bit of care

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Quantities

Measurements

Method

Make the pastry

Step 1
Place the flour (500 g) and salt (1 tsp) into a mixing bowl.
Step 2
Add the lard (120 g) and butter (120 g). Rub together with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. (Alternatively, pulse in a food processor.).
Step 3
Add the cold water (175 ml) and mix until a dough forms.
Step 4
Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Step 5
Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour (longer is better).

Prepare the filling

Step 1
Peel and dice the potatoes (300 g), swede, and onion (150 g) into small cubes (about 1 cm).
Step 2
Slice the beef into thin strips.
Step 3
Combine the vegetables and meat in a large bowl. (Do not season yet, seasoning later prevents excess liquid release.).

Roll and cut the pastry

Step 1
Once chilled, roll the pastry out on a floured surface to 2 to 3 mm thick.
Step 2
Use a 20 cm plate as a template to cut out 6 rounds. Re-roll pastry as needed.

Fill and shape

Step 1
Season the filling generously with salt (1 tsp) (around 1 tsp) and black pepper (1/2 tsp). Mix well.
Step 2
Divide the filling evenly between the pastry rounds, piling it into the centre.
Step 3
Add a couple of small cubes of butter (120 g) on top of each filling mound (optional).
Step 4
Brush pastry edges with beaten egg (or water). Fold over into a half-moon shape.
Step 5
Press edges firmly together, then crimp to seal: use your finger and thumb to fold the edge over in a neat pattern.

5. Bake

Step 1
Place pasties on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Step 2
Brush tops with beaten egg.
Step 3
Make 2 small holes in the top of each pasty to allow steam to escape.
Step 4
Bake in a preheated oven at 165°C fan (180°C conventional) for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Serve

Step 1
Allow to cool slightly before eating. Best enjoyed warm with the filling juicy and tender inside.

Stay in the loop

Get new recipes in your inbox

Occasional emails with new recipes, cooking tips and what’s new at Pinch of Mint.

See our Privacy Policy for information about how your personal data is used.

Also in British classics worth keeping.

Questions people ask

How long does traditional cornish pasties take?

About 2 hours 20 min from start to finish: 20 min of prep, 59 min of cooking, and 1 hour 1 min hands-off while it waits. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does this make?

The original recipe did not state a yield, so nothing has been invented for it. The scale control on the recipe card multiplies the quantities instead, which is the honest version of the same thing.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.

Traditional Cornish pasties

Traditional Cornish pasties

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry