The Upper Peninsula of Michigan became the home of many Cornish emigrants. As a result many Michiganders both living in the upper and lower penisulas grew up eating cornish pasties. My favorites are made with ground beef and with carrots instead of rutabegas. This is the recipe which is made the most often near my home. Some folks enjoy this cold…I love it best smothered in rich beef gravy. Some folks also like it served with a white Sausage Gravy. Some local churches actually make these once a year as a fund raiser. They offer them to eat on the premises and also take orders for take outs. They almost always sell out with some folks coming too late to get any.
Posted for Zaar World Tour. This is a recipe with deep and interesting historical significance… nothing says “Cornwall” more than the Cornish Pasty. It was the meal of choice for coal miners, as it was a ultimate own pre packaged “fast food” of it’s day, that was practical to eat by holding the crust in coal stained fingers, economical to make and filling. Recipe is adapted from “Favourite English recipes- Traditional fare from around the Counties’. If you make it before I do, I would very much appreciate your feedback. Please Note: Americans know Swede as “rutabaga” and the Scottish call it “neeps”. A websearch tells me that Swede is a fairly recent root vegetable, and is thought to have originated around the 17th century in Bohemia and is the result of a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. It’s popular in colder European countries and is a hardy vegetable similar in texture to turnip. ZWT REGION: England.
This is a delicious, simple pasty (pronounced “pass-tea” ) recipe. No gravy is needed, as it makes its own. The crust is sturdy but good. These have no turnips or swedes; you can add them if you like. My husband hates them, so I leave them out. Prep time is estimated, as I’ve never paid attention to how long it takes. Note: if measuring the flour by volume rather than weight, be sure to stir it first, or you will end up with too much flour, and thus a tough, dry crust.
This goes with Recipe #230311 and makes the most outstanding pastry crust ever! Lard is the preferred “shortening” and closest to the “original” recipe. But regular shortening will work, too. Although butter would make it very rich, I’ve NEVER used butter in this. The crust is very light and flakey–but sturdy enough to hold the pasty ingredients; turns a beautiful golden-brown when brushed with milk prior to baking. This recipe can also be used for quiches (weighted down with beans) and pies.
We could buy these at a local bakery where I was growing up. I loved them and would often detour by the bakery after school to get one.
