Cornish Steak Pasties with Buttery Pastry Crust
Authentic Cornish pasties feature tender diced flank steak, potatoes, rutabaga, and onions wrapped in a flaky butter pastry. This traditional British hand pie combines savory root vegetables and herbs with quality beef, encased in a golden, crimped pastry shell. Serve warm as a hearty lunch, dinner, or portable meal. This version uses a proper laminated dough technique and parcels filling into individual portions, staying true to the Cornish mining tradition while delivering restaurant-quality results.
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups unbleached bread flour
- 4 cups unbleached bread flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, or table salt
- 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
- 10 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
- 2 ¾ tablespoons cold water
- ¾ cups cold water
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 8 ounces rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch diceturnip1:1vegetable
milder flavor, similar texture and cook time
- 7 ounces white onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 ½ pounds flank or skirt steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into 6 pieces
- 1 egg, for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
- 1 pinch salt, for egg wash
Instructions
- 1
Whisk flour and salt in mixer bowl. Add cold butter cubes and mix on low with paddle until crumbly, 3 to 4 minutes.
- 2
Scrape bowl and switch to dough hook. Mix on low while slowly pouring in water until dough gathers. Add more water one tablespoon at a time if needed.
- 3
Increase speed to low-medium and knead 2 to 3 minutes.
- 4
Remove dough, hand knead about one minute, divide into 6 equal pieces using a scale. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours.
- 5
Place potatoes and rutabagas in saucepan, cover with water, and bring to boil. Boil 2 minutes, drain, and cool.
- 6
Toss cooled potatoes, rutabagas, onions, salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley in large bowl. Add steak and toss again.
- 7
Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 8
Roll out dough piece to 10 inch round. Mound filling onto dough, top with butter piece, fold dough over, and crimp edges. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
- 9
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F while pasties rest at room temperature.
- 10
When oven reaches temperature, brush pasties with egg wash. Wait 10 minutes and brush again.
- 11
Bake with racks on upper and lower thirds for 20 minutes. Switch pans, lower temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake until deep golden, 20 to 30 minutes more.
- 12
Cool pasties on wire rack. Serve warm or wrap and refrigerate or freeze for later reheating.
Tips
Keep all butter cold and work quickly during dough mixing to ensure a flaky pastry texture. Warm butter melts into the flour too early, resulting in a dense crust.
Partially cook potatoes and rutabagas to ensure they finish cooking at the same rate as the beef, preventing tough vegetables or undercooked filling.
Assemble pasties several hours ahead and refrigerate before baking. Cold dough resists shrinking and maintains crispy edges during the long bake.
Good to Know
Wrap cooled pasties individually in foil or place in airtight container. Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months.
Assemble pasties up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate covered on baking sheet before baking. Or bake completely, cool, wrap, and refrigerate or freeze. Reheat wrapped in foil at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes from refrigerator, 35 to 45 minutes from frozen.
Serve warm from the oven with a simple green salad, pickled onions, or crusty bread. Traditional accompaniment is tomato sauce or gravy on the side.
Common Mistakes
Use warm butter or water to avoid developing a flaky crust; keep all ingredients cold until mixing.
Skip the partial vegetable precooking to risk raw potatoes or overcooked onions when beef is done.
Omit the second egg wash application to achieve pale, dull pastry instead of deep golden color.
Neglect to switch pans and lower temperature to burn bottoms or leave tops pale.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
milder flavor, similar texture and cook time
dried concentrated flavors, use half quantity
Full guide →FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Wrap dough pieces individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before rolling out and assembling.
What if I don't have a stand mixer?
Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Cut cold butter into flour using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips until crumbly. Stir in water gradually until dough forms. Hand knead 2 to 3 minutes until smooth.
How long do baked pasties keep in the freezer?
Fully baked, cooled pasties keep frozen up to 3 months. Wrap individually in foil then place in freezer bags. Reheat from frozen at 350 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes until heated through.