Embark on a culinary journey to the heart of British cuisine with two iconic dishes: Bedfordshire clanger and Cornish pasties. These savory delights, hailing from different regions of England, offer a unique blend of flavors and textures that will tantalize your taste buds.
The Bedfordshire clanger, a traditional dish from the county of Bedfordshire, is a hearty meat pie encased in a golden, flaky pastry. Its generous filling of minced beef, pork, and vegetables, seasoned with a medley of herbs and spices, delivers a symphony of flavors in every bite.
Cornish pasties, originating from Cornwall in southwestern England, are a testament to the region's rich mining history. These handheld pies, once a staple meal for miners, feature a delectable combination of beef, potatoes, onions, and swede, all enveloped in a crisp, golden pastry.
Both the Bedfordshire clanger and Cornish pasties are culinary treasures that have stood the test of time. Whether you're seeking a comforting main course or a savory snack, these dishes promise a satisfying gastronomic experience.
In this article, we present two delectable recipes that will guide you in recreating these classic British dishes in your own kitchen. With step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, you'll be able to impress your family and friends with these homemade masterpieces.
BEDFORDSHIRE CLANGERS
These are a handheld pasty-like recipe that have a savoury end and a sweet end (think Cornish pasties with dessert included). They are (obviously) from Bedfordshire, England. They were originally made by Bedfordshire housewives and mothers for their menfolk to take with them into the farm fields, for a quick midday meal. The recipe comes from the coobook for the website "The Great British Kitchen" at http://www.greatbritishkitchen.co.uk/recipebook/index.php. The original recipe called to make one huge clanger that was to serve four, but I've included directions for making four small ones. Times are estimated.
Provided by Halcyon Eve
Categories Dessert
Time 2h15m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- To make pastry, combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut suet into flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Mix water in with a fork, a bit at a time, until it becomes a soft dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Melt butter in pan over medium heat and saute onion, steak, and kidneys (or mushrooms) until onions are soft and meats are browned. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
- Remove pastry from refrigerator. Divide into fourths. Roll each fourth out on lightly floured surface into a rectangle. Cut a strip from a short side and place down the middle of the rectangle to make two sections.
- On one half of each rectangle, spread the meat mixture. On the other half, place the apples, raisins, and sugar.
- Carefully roll up pastry jelly-roll style. Moisten the ends and seal. Wrap loosely in greased foil and place in a large saucepan.
- Cover with boiling water and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Check water level occasionally, adding additional boiling water as needed.
- May be served hot or at room temperature. You can also make one great one and share it (as the original recipe stated), with gravy and vegetables for the savoury side and a custard sauce for the sweet.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 963.1, Fat 57.9, SaturatedFat 28.8, Cholesterol 209.8, Sodium 1134.7, Carbohydrate 78.4, Fiber 5, Sugar 27.6, Protein 32.5
BEDFORDSHIRE CLANGER (CORNISH PASTIES WITH DESSERT)
I saw these made on television last night and the recipe really intrigued me. They were originally made by wives for their husbands to take to work out in the fields or mines. They are a whole meal-in-one pastry making them both sweet and savory. Maybe they are the original TV dinner LOL. The crust would be more authentic and tastier using lard, but taste better using the lard/butter combo. The wives would also make some of the pastry into letters and apply to the top of the clanger their husband's initials so they were easy to identify. They can be made with chicken as well.
Provided by NcMysteryShopper
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h15m
Yield 6 Large Clangers
Number Of Ingredients 19
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 769.5, Fat 57.6, SaturatedFat 23.4, Cholesterol 113.3, Sodium 337.4, Carbohydrate 38.6, Fiber 2.9, Sugar 2.7, Protein 23.1
BEDFORDSHIRE CLANGER
This is a traditional dish made in the Bedfordshire area of England. It is a meal that would be prepared, economizing on energy. Usually served on Monday, when the laundry was being done, leaving mother to wash while the meal cooked.
Provided by Cookiecate
Categories European
Time 2h20m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Mix flour salt and suet together,.
- stir in enough water to give a light elastic dough knead very lightly until smooth.
- Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.
- Make an oblong and imagine this in two pieces.
- Cut the potatoes up into cubes, cut ham up into bite size pieces, chop onion quite small, chop up parsley roughly.
- Put this mixture in the middle of one side of the pastry, sprinkle with pepper.
- On the other side spread jam quite thickly or a tin of fruit pie filling.
- Roll up the entire thing as you would a swiss roll. Wrap the entire sausage in foil and steam the pudding for 2 -4 hours depending on the filling.
- When the pudding is ready serve the meat and potato half with vegetables. afterwards serve the jam side with custard.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 557.7, Fat 26.3, SaturatedFat 13.1, Cholesterol 34.8, Sodium 695.7, Carbohydrate 65.5, Fiber 4.2, Sugar 11, Protein 13.9
LIGHTER CORNISH PASTIES
Angela Nilsen retains the taste but halves the fat of these traditional pastry bakes by using beef skirt and less butter in the pastry
Provided by Angela Nilsen
Time 1h50m
Yield Makes 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- To make the filling, mix everything together in a bowl with ¾ tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp cold water. Stir in a pinch of salt and set aside. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line 1-2 baking sheets or trays with baking parchment.
- To make the pastry, put the flour, baking powder and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Tip in the oil, egg yolk and 5 tbsp cold water. Pulse again until the dough just starts to come together, adding another ½-1 tbsp water, or as needed. If you gently press the dough and it sticks together, you know it's the right consistency. Tip out the dough onto the work surface and gently press it into a smooth ball.
- Cut the pastry into 6 equal pieces. For each pasty, lightly and briefly shape one piece of the pastry to a smooth ball. (Keep the other pieces wrapped in cling film until needed.) Press the ball down to make an even flattened round. Then roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface, as thinly as you can, to a circle just over 20cm in diameter, keeping the round shape with your hands as you roll. As you're rolling the pastry thinner than usual, handle it carefully to prevent it breaking, and keep the work surface and rolling pin lightly dusted with flour to prevent the pastry sticking. Use the base of a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin (or similar) as a guide to cut around to neaten the pastry edges (step 1). Spoon a sixth of the filling down the centre of the pastry circle and lightly press down with your hand to contain and flatten it slightly. Dampen the pastry edges with water (step 2) and carefully bring one side of the pastry over to join the other side (step 3), tucking in the filling to keep it inside as you do so. Press the joins together to seal, then make a thin decorative edge by rolling or curling the pastry edge over all the way around. Press down to seal. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling. Sit each pasty on the baking sheet or tray, then pierce a small hole in the top of each one for the steam to escape. Beat the egg white to loosen, then brush a little over each pasty to glaze (step 4).
- Bake for 15 mins, then lower the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush with more egg white, and bake a further 35 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden, covering loosely with foil if they are browning too quickly. Remove with a wide spatula and leave to cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 511 calories, Fat 25.2 grams fat, SaturatedFat 10.7 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 48.5 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 3.1 grams sugar, Fiber 2.8 grams fiber, Protein 22.1 grams protein, Sodium 0.8 milligram of sodium
Tips for Making the Perfect Cornish Pasties:
- Choose the Right Ingredients: Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. Look for good quality beef, vegetables, and butter.
- Prepare the Pastry Dough Correctly: Make sure the butter is cold and the water is ice-cold. This will help create a flaky pastry.
- Don't Overwork the Dough: Overworking the dough will make it tough. Mix it until it just comes together.
- Chill the Dough Before Rolling: Chilling the dough will make it easier to roll out and prevent it from shrinking in the oven.
- Fill the Pasties Generously: Don't be shy with the filling! The pasties should be packed full of meat and vegetables.
- Crimp the Pasties Well: Use a fork or your fingers to crimp the edges of the pasties securely. This will prevent the filling from leaking out.
- Bake the Pasties Until Golden Brown: Bake the pasties in a hot oven until they are golden brown and the filling is cooked through.
Conclusion:
Cornish pasties are a delicious and hearty meal that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They are perfect for a quick lunch or dinner, and they can also be packed for a picnic or road trip. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make these pasties at home. So next time you're looking for a satisfying and flavorful meal, give Cornish pasties a try!
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