Perfect Pastry Recipes – Cornish Pasties; Hand Raised Pastry; Apple Pie;
Our cookery classes are as much about learning to cook as they are a sociable experience. We hope you enjoyed your day and are ready to recreate the bakes at home.
You Cooked:
- Cornish Pasties;
- Hand Raised Pork Pies;
- Deep Filled Apple Pie;
Cornish Pastie
The traditional Cornish pasty, is filled with beef, sliced or diced potato, swede (also known as yellow turnip or rutabaga – referred to in Cornwall and other parts of the West Country as turnip) and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, and baked.
The pasty was “invented” so miners could take them in their lunch box, hold them by the huge pastry crust and use it as a handle. This was so their “dirty hands possibly with traces of arsenic” would not contaminate their lunch. The dirty crust was then disposed of.
Ingredients:
- – 125g butter
- – 125g lard
- – 250g plain flour
- – 250g strong flour
- – 1 egg, beaten
For the Filling:
- – 250g beef skirt or chuck steak, finely chopped
- – ½ large onion, finely chopped
- – 2 medium potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
- – 175g swede, peeled, finely diced
- – 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Rub the butter and lard into the flour with a pinch of salt.
- Add 6 tbsp cold water to make a firm dough.
- Cut equally into 4, then chill for 10 mins.
- Roll out each piece of dough on a lightly floured surface, approx thickness of £1 coin.
- Use a small plate & trim round it to shape.
- Layer, swede, onions, potates and meat in the centre of the pastry season well.
- Brush the outer edge of pastry with beaten egg.
- Carefully pull up the sides of the pastry so they meet at the top
- Pinch together and seal
- Egg was and add small sprinkle of salt.
- Place on a non-stick baking tray bake approx 10 mins 200`c – lower to 180`c for 40 mins
Hand Raised Pastry
Why is it called hand raised pie?
This is how they were made before the metal moulds came along, with the sides raised by hand, hence the name “raised pies” as opposed to “moulded pies.” They kept the name of “Raised Pies” even after metal moulds became commonplace.
“Pork Pies” are so easily recognised. Today we are going to play around with different flavours. You can adapt any of the fillings to suit any dietary needs.
Ingredients:
- – 100g lard, plus extra for greasing
- – 450g plain flour
- – 100g strong white bread flour
- – 75g cold unsalted butter, cut into roughly 1cm dice
- – 200ml water
- – ½ tsp salt
- – 1 egg yolk, beaten, to glaze
For The Filling
- – 300g good-quality sausage meat (or skinned butcher’s sausages)
- – 3 slices smoked bacon rough chopped
- – 6 sage leaves, chopped fine
- – 1 onion, finely chopped
- – salt and pepper
- – 1 red onion sliced thinly
- – 4 tbsp brown sugar
- – 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- – ½ pint chicken stock
- – 2 leaves of gelatine
Method:
- Put All The Ingredients Into A Large Bowl, Seasoning Lightly. Mix Together Thoroughly.
- Cook A Little Nugget Of The Mixture In A Frying Pan And Taste It To Check The Seasoning
- Put The Mix In The Fridge While You Make The Pastry.
- Pastry, Combine The Flours In A Bowl, Add The Butter And Rub In Lightly With Your Fingertips.
- Heat The Water, Salt And Lard In A Saucepan Until Just Boiling.
- Pour The Mixture Onto The Flour And Mix Together With A Wooden Spoon.
- Once Cool Enough To Handle, Tip Onto A Lightly Floured Surface And Knead To A Smooth Dough.
- Working Quickly (The Pastry Will Become Crumbly And More Difficult To Handle As It Cools)
- Roll Out Two-Thirds Of The Pastry And Use It To Line The Prepared Tins, Leaving The Excess Hanging Over The Edges.
- Press Half The Meat Filling Into The Pastry-Lined Tin.
- Top With Cooled Balsamic Onions.
- Roll Out Remaining Dough Just Wide Enough To Cover Top Of The Pie, Egg Wash The Overhang Crimp To Form A Tightly Sealed Edge.
- Poke A Small Hole In The Top Of Each Lid, Egg Wash.
- Bake For Approx. 30 Minutes 180°C.
- Soak Gelatine In Cold Water Until Soft.
- Dissolve Soft Gelatine In Hot Chicken Stock.
- Pour Hot Stock Into Sausage Pies And Allow To Cool.
Deep Filled Apple Pie
Who invented the Apple Pie?
England.
Rather than the good old US-of-A, apple pie as we know it first originated in England, where it developed from culinary influences from France, the Netherlands, and even the Ottoman Empire. In fact, apple trees were not even native to North America until the Europeans arrived.
Ingredients:
- – 125g butter
- – 50g caster sugar
- – 1 egg – whole- beaten
- – 175g plain flour
- – 3 cooking apples -peeled & cored
- – 8 whole cloves
- – 50g butter
- – 25g sugar
Method:
- Lightly cream sugar / butter.
- Add the egg.
- Add the flour and knead to a paste. (do not over work)
- Chill for 10 mins.
- Cut ¼ off pastry for lid.
- Roll to thickness of £1 coin and line desired tin.
- Chop apples and put into pan with butter.
- Heat gently, until apples start to soften.
- Add cloves & sugar, continue to stir apples until soft.
- Pour apple mixture into lined tin.
- Roll out remaining pastry, cut into 8 stripsplace 4 strips vertically over the pie, don’t worry about any overhangs.
- Place 4 strips horizontally and inter lace so a lattice pattern is formed.
- Egg was and sprinkle with caster sugar.
- Bake 180c approx 20mins until top is golden brown.
- This apple pie can be warmed again by placing it in a hot oven for 5/ 10 mins.
- Cover loosly with foil if it is getting too browned.
We hope you enjoyed the class!
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