Pasties, how do you pronounce that anyway?

Classic Cornish Pasty

It was difficult to decide which "P" word to discuss today. We will be doing Pie.  But what kind of pie? There are lots and lots of possibilities.  We will take today and the next two weeks and talk about three different kinds of pie.

Today's Pie?   We will start with a Pasty.  Pasty is pronounced pass-tee.  (Not to be confused with tassles found on a stripper's chest.) It turns out these lovely hand-held pockets of yummy have a history that isn't really clear.  However, there are very strong feelings around the notion that Pasties were invented in Cornwall, England; hence the name Cornish Pasties. 

Cornwall, England

Like many foods we hear and read about, the pasty, too, started as a food the wealthy indulged in.   In Cornwall tin and copper mining were the common trade. The miners and their families adopted the pasty as a means of having a meal that was easy to heat up and eat without leaving the mine. At lunch break, the miner would take the pasty and put it on a shovel and set it over the fire in the mine. No fork or knife needed! 

There is even a ceremony around how to eat a pasty. It's more like a superstition for the miners. One is to eat the pasties from one end to the other, but the first corner was saved for the mine, itself.  This bite was left for the spirit of the mine so the mine would gladly give up its metal and not cave in on the miners.

It's difficult to find definitive information, but that's okay. What we do know is that the Cornish eventually came to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after the metal crisis happened in England.  With them they brought their pasties, along with considerable mining knowledge.  This knowledge was adopted by the local inhabitants.  The new culinary experience of pasties has become a source of regional pride in Michigan.   

As you might guess, there was some controversy as different ethnic groups chimed in as to how to make an appropriate pasty. Pasty rivalries developed between the Finns, Swedes, Irish, Poles, Germans, Scots, Italians and French. Each group contributed something to the pasties we know today. One thing everyone could agree on was that a pasty mucst have potatoes and onions as part of the filling. And so it is! 

The simplicity of pasties is also the genius of it. A pasty is a crust filled with beef and vegetables.

We offer you a traditional Cornish Pasties recipe today.  Not to worry, we are including potatoes and onions in keeping with the general consensus.

Pasties the 2 Prickly Pear way!

Here's what you need:

Crust:

1 1/4 cup flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

8 Tablespoon cold butter cut in 8 cubes

1/4 - 1/2 cup cold water

Crust wash:

1 egg

2 Tablespoon milk

Filling:

1 lb ground chuck or chuck steak diced in 1/3 inch pieces

2 medium size red potatoes diced

1 medium size carrot diced

1 medium onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Here's what you need to do:

For crust:

In food processor, combine flour, sugar,  and salt.  Add cold butter and pulse until flour mixture has the appearance of corn meal.  Gradually add water and process just until mixture turns to a ball.  Do not over process.  Divide dough into four pieces and shape into discs.  Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the filling:

Combine all ingredients.  You can cook all the ingredients separately if you like and combine. If not then make sure when you bake your pasties that everything is cooked through.  

Remove dough from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.  Roll out each disc of dough into a round.  Place approximately 1/2 cup of filling in the center.  Pull one side of the dough over the filling and fold the edges over each other to seal in the filling.  

Combine the egg and milk and beat thoroughly.  Brush the entire surface and edges of your pastie.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  

Serve to your happy eaters.

Next we will be talking about the 2nd "P" word.....Pie...Pizza Pie, that is.
   

Now, go out and make something good.