Cornish Pasties

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 4 cups bread flour (strong white flour), 500 g
• 1 tsp fine salt
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, 113 g, cubed
• ½ cup cold lard or vegetable shortening, 100 g, cubed
• ⅔ cup ice water, 160 ml, plus 1–2 tbsp if needed

For the filling

• 1 lb beef skirt or chuck steak, 450 g, cut into small ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
• 12 oz waxy potatoes, 340 g, peeled and thinly sliced
• 8 oz swede (rutabaga), 225 g, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg, beaten, for glazing

Instructions

Make the pastry

1. Whisk the flour and salt. Rub in the butter and lard until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with a few larger pieces.
2. Add the ice water and mix with a knife until the dough comes together, adding more water if needed. Knead briefly until smooth.
3. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Fill and bake

4. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or 180°C (355°F) fan, gas mark 6). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Divide the pastry into 6 pieces. Roll each into an 8-inch (20 cm) circle about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
6. On one half of each circle, layer some potato, swede, onion and beef, seasoning each layer generously with salt and pepper. Finish with more potato and a few pieces of butter.
7. Brush the edge with water, fold the pastry over to make a half-moon and press to seal. Crimp the edge and place the pasties on the sheet.
8. Brush with beaten egg and cut a small steam hole in the top of each.
9. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 325°F (160°C, or 140°C (285°F) fan, gas mark 3) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes more, until deep golden. The filling should be tender when tested with a skewer through the steam hole.
10. Cool for 10 minutes before eating.