We had a wonderful time by the sea in Cornwall at the end of last week, visiting family, collecting pebbles, getting soaked (each and every-time we went to the beach!) and eating Cornish pasties. Here are some photos to whet your appetite and a link to a recipe for a proper Cornish pasty.
I was going to write out instructions and my own recipe but this one has photos and links and is so good it isn't worth me doing it again! The only things I would add are that I always use half and half (butter and lard) in the pastry and that you need to make it good and stretchy. My Mother-in-law always says my pastry is too short (something I am very proud of most of the time!) for a good pasty you need a lot of stretch so the filling stays put. I add a bit more water and knead it a bit more to get the good toughness you need. Also I try and use shin beef - it is cheap but full of flavour and was always the traditional choice. It tends to be a bit harder to prepare, I am careful to cut out all the gristle and any fatty bits but it is well worth the extra work. Grandpa is chief pasty maker in their house and Jack is becoming the expert in ours, give it a go you won't be disappointed - Enjoy!
