Recipe for cooking cornish pasties

Recipes from England :: English Tea, Beverages and Accompaniments

To serve as a meal, accompany with mashed potatoes, green vegetables and homemade gravy. They are great hot or cold for picnics or in the lunchbox.

4 c. flour
1 c. solid vegetable shortening (at room temperature)
6 Tbsp. ice water
1 tsp. salt
Milk for brushing pastry
8 oz. lean ground beef
6 oz. good, firm potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. cubes
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 tsp. dried, mixed herbs
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
4 or 5 Tbsp. beef or chicken stock or gravy

Combine 1/2 c. flour, shortening, ice water and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon. With fingertips, blend in remaining flour quickly, without working it too much. If there is not enough moisture to combine it, add no more than 3 Tbsp. of ice water a little at a time. Gather it into a ball, cover with a damp cloth and refrigerate.

While the pastry is relaxing, mix beef, potatoes, onion, herbs, salt and pepper in a bowl and add enough stock or gravy to combine the mixture.

Divide the pastry, leaving half in the refrigerator. Roll out to about 1/16 in. thick and cut 5- or 6-in. circles. Repeat with the other half of the pastry. Do not reuse scraps as they will have been rolled twice and this will cause the pastry to shrink and be tough.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Mound meat mixture in an even way in the center of each circle and brush each with milk. Fold the pastry over so that one side meets the opposite side and pin. together. The shape should be a half moon with crinkle edges where you have pin.ed them together. Brush all over lightly with milk. Bake for 10 mins., then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees fahrenheit and bake another 45 mins. until the pastry is a light brown and they smell good.