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British

Cornish pasty

Non-vegetarian

A sturdy shortcrust half-moon filled with raw diced beef skirt, potato, swede and onion, crimped along the side and baked so the filling steams in its own juices.

Cornish pasty is a British savoury bake from United Kingdom, ready in about 2 hours 5 minutes and made with all-purpose flour and beef flank steak. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
40 min
Cook
55 min
Rest
30 min
Total
2 h 5 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
808

Ingredients

6 pasties

For the pastry

For the filling

To glaze

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rub the butter (opens in a new tab) and lard (opens in a new tab) into the flour and salt until like breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and bring together into a dough; knead briefly until smooth. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

    • 10 min
    Hands kneading dough on a floured surface
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Divide into 6 and roll each into a 20 cm round. Layer a little potato (opens in a new tab), swede, onion (opens in a new tab) and beef on one half, seasoning each layer generously with salt and pepper (opens in a new tab) and finishing with potato.

    Food safety: Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw beef.

  3. Step 3

    Brush the edge with egg (opens in a new tab), fold the pastry over and press to seal. Crimp the edge by folding it over itself in small twists along the side.

    • 10 min

  4. Step 4

    Put on a lined tray, brush with egg (opens in a new tab) and cut a small steam hole. Bake at 200 °C for 20 minutes, then lower to 165 °C and bake for 35 minutes more until deep golden.

About this dish

Origin
Cornwall, United Kingdom · Well documented'Cornish pasty' has EU/UK Protected Geographical Indication status when made in Cornwall.More food from United Kingdom
Dish
Lunch · Pizza & savoury pies · Main courses
Cooking method
Oven-baked
Taste
savoury, peppery, buttery
Diet
No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Portable / lunchbox · Freezer-friendly · Make-ahead
Cook more with
All-purpose flour · Beef flank steak · Butter · Lard · Potato · Turnip
Techniques
Baking · Kneading

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom butter
  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
  • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour
  • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

808 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 354 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 14%
  • Carbohydrate 40%
  • Fat 47%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy808 kcal228 kcal
Protein27.7 g7.8 g
Carbohydrate79.4 g22.4 g
Net carbohydrate74.8 g21.1 g
Sugars2.9 g0.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4.7 g1.3 g
Fat41.5 g11.7 g
Saturated fat20.2 g5.7 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol143 mg40 mg
Sodium1090 mg308 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
732 mg
Calcium
70 mg
Iron
5.9 mg
Magnesium
58 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
156 µg
Vitamin C
21 mg
Vitamin D
0.7 µg
Vitamin B12
1 µg
Folate (DFE)
275 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Keep the raw filling pieces small and thin so they cook through in the pastry.

Storage

  • Keep 2 days chilled; freeze baked or unbaked.

Reheating

  • Reheat in a 180 °C oven for 15–20 minutes.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The body of the dish

To glaze

  • Egg, beaten1 piece · 50 g
Used in step 4

Baker’s notes

Customise in Bread & Bakery

Timeline and readiness cues

  1. Mix and knead · about 40 min

    Knead until smooth and soft; it should feel like an earlobe.

  2. Rest · about 30 min

    Covered so it doesn't dry out; relaxed dough rolls and shapes without springing back.

  3. Bake · about 55 min at 165 °C

    Puffed with golden-brown spots on both sides.

  4. Start to finish: about 2 h 5 min. Times are a guide — warmth changes everything; follow the cues.

If something goes wrong

  • Pale crust

    Likely causes

    • Oven too cool
    • Too little sugar or no milk/egg for browning
    • Over-fermented (yeast ate the sugars)

    What to do

    • Check the oven with a thermometer
    • Brush with egg wash or milk
    • Shorten the fermentation
  • Burnt bottom

    Likely causes

    • Tray too close to the heat
    • Dark tray absorbs more heat
    • Too much sugar in the dough

    What to do

    • Bake on the middle shelf
    • Double up trays or use a light-coloured one
    • Lower the temperature 10–15 °C and bake a little longer
  • Crust too hard or thick

    Likely causes

    • Baked too long at too low a temperature
    • No steam at the start

    What to do

    • Bake hotter for a shorter time
    • Add steam for the first 15 minutes (tray of boiling water, or a covered Dutch oven)
    • Cool under a tea towel for a softer crust

Reviews & corrections

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