Best 4 Alton Brown Cornish Pasties Recipes

CORNISH PASTIES

Steps:

• Make the shortcrust dough: Add flour and salt to a mixing bowl. Cut in shortening and butter until well combined. Stir in 5 Tbsp of water then add 1-3 more tablespoons as needed till dough binds together and is not dry. Be careful not to over mix.
• Divide the dough into two balls and form each into a log. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Prepare the filling: Cut the steak into bite size cubes, and chop the potatoes, rutabaga, onion. Add steak, vegetables, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a bowl and toss.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Roll the Dough: Take one dough disk out of the fridge, leaving the other to continue to chill while you make the first four pasties. Cut the log into 4 equal pieces. Place one piece at a time on a large piece of parchment paper sprinkled lightly with flour. Roll the dough into a thin circle about 7-8 inches across. Don't worry if your circle isn't perfect as you will be folding and crimping the edges.
• Add filling: Place a heaping spoonful of filling into the center of the dough. Cut off a sliver of butter and place it on top of the filling.
• Fold and seal edges: Lightly moisten the edges of the pastry dough with a little bit of water (use a pastry brush or your finger). Gently lift the dough on one side and bring it over the filling, laying it on top of the dough on the other side. If the dough punctures at all, use any extra dough to patch the hole. Squeeze the edges of the half circle of dough, pressing them firmly together.
• Crimp the edges of the dough: Push down on the edge of the pasty and using your index finger and thumb twist the edge of the pastry over to form a crimp.Repeat this process along the entire edge. Tuck the end corners underneath. Lay the cornish pasty on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough. When you've crimped all four pasties, remove the remaining dough from the fridge and repeat process.
• Add egg wash: Lightly prick the top of each pasty with a fork (2-3 times) for air to escape. Mix egg and water in shallow dish for the egg wash and use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer on top of each pasty.
• Bake at 350ºF for 40-50 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before eating.

AUTHENTIC CORNISH PASTIES

Steps:

• To Make the Shortcrust Pastry: Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times until combined. Add the cold butter and lard and pulse a few more times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water a little at a time, pulsing between additions, until the mixture begins to come together. DO NOT over-mix the dough or the pastry crust will be tough and won't be flaky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before using (this is crucial). (Can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 3 months.)
• To Make the Cornish Pasties: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Cut it into 6 equal pieces (rolling the dough into a log and then cutting makes this easier). Wrap and keep the other 5 pieces chilled in the fridge while you're working on one at a time. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a 8 inch circle that's about 1/8 inch thick. You can use an 8-inch plate as your guide and cut the dough around it to form your circle.
• Layer the filling (see note at end): Put layer of potatoes down the center of the pastry circle, leaving about 3/4 inch space on the top and bottom edges of the pastry dough. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next add a layer of rutabagas, onions and finally the beef, adding a light sprinkling of salt and pepper between each layer. Lay a couple pats of butter on top of the beef and sprinkle a little flour over the filling.
• Wet the tips of your fingers and lightly moisten the edges of the pastry dough. For this next part work gently so that the filling doesn't puncture through the dough. If this happens, patch up the hole with some of the scrap pieces of pastry dough. Bring the sides up and seal the pasty down the middle. Turn the pasty onto its side and crimp the edges in traditional Cornish fashion (see blog post pictures as a visual).
• Assemble the remaining pasties and lay them on a lined baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut a slit in the center of each pasty. Lightly brush each pasty with the beaten egg mixture.
• Bake the Cornish pasties on the middle rack for 40-50 minutes until golden in color. Remove from the oven and let them sit for about 10 minutes (they will be very hot inside) before eating. They can be reheated in the oven (recommended for a crispier crust) or microwave. NOTE: Depending on how full you stuff the pasties you may have leftover filling. No worries, just fry it up together or add it to soup and enjoy it as a separate meal.

CORNISH GAME HEN WITH BACON AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Wrap a brick in aluminum foil and place into the oven to heat.
• Place the game hen breast side down on a cutting board. Using scissors or poultry shears, cut from the neck to the tailbone to remove the backbone. Once you remove the backbone you will be able to see the inside of the bird. Make a small slit in the cartilage at the base of the breastbone to reveal the keel bone. Grab the bird with both hands on the ribs and open up like a book, facing down towards the cutting board. Remove the keel bone. Cut small slits in the skin of the bird behind the legs and tuck the drumsticks into them in order to hold them in place. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Fry the bacon in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once crisp, remove the bacon from the skillet and reserve. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Immediately add the two birds to the pan, skin side down. Add the onions to the pan around the edges. Top the birds with the brick and allow to remain on the heat for 5 minutes. Place the pan into the oven and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until the thigh meat reaches 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and allow the bird to rest for 5 minutes before serving with the onions and bacon.

BEDFORDSHIRE CLANGER (CORNISH PASTIES WITH DESSERT)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pastry: Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in lard or shortening until mixture is crumbly. Stir in water, mixing just until dough forms a ball. Place dough in refrigerator and make filling.
• Filling: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the vegetable oil. Saute onions until soft. Add carrots, potatoes and/or rutabagas and saute for 10 minutes. Add Garlic and cumin, saute for 2 minutes.
• Add ground beef, ground pork, and green onions to skillet. Saute until meat is just cooked through. Drain grease. Stir in frozen peas. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide dough into 6 portions and roll out each into 9" circles.
• Divide the meat mixture between the pastry rounds and dot with some butter or margarine. At one end of the pastry add some of the fruit pie filling. Damp the edges, draw the edges of the pastry together to form a seam across the top and flute the edges with the fingers. Brush with milk.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 400°F for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.