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I dearly luv a pasty,
a 'ot 'n' leaky wun
Weth taties, mayt 'n' turmit
Purs'ly 'n' honyun
Un crus be made with su't
'N' shaped like 'alf a moon,
Weth crinkly h'edges, freshly baked
E'z always gone too soon!
1lb (450g) shortcrust pastry 12oz (350g) chuck or stewing steak (diced)
4 medium potatoes 2oz (50g) butter
1 onion - peeled 1 egg - beaten (for glazing)
4oz (100g) swede Salt and pepper to taste
Roll out the pastry to ¼" (5mm) thick and cut into four 6"(15cm) circles (or larger if you want a man-sized pasty - my mum used to cut round a dinner plate or a dessert plate depending on which member of the family it was for). Cut the potato directly on to the pastry by cutting small flakes or dicing first, the choice is yours.
Next cover this with the swede (if you are American - rutabaga) then add some of the onion, diced and the meat (don't be stingy with the meat). Add a dot of butter and season well. Dampen the edges of the pastry and fold in half to form a semi-circle. Pinch and turn the edge over to make a rope like effect as shown in the picture above. Some people jab a knife into the top to make a 'steam-hole'. Brush on the beaten egg and place on a greased baking sheet.
Bake, in a hot oven (425°F-Gas mark 7, for 10 minutes then lower the temperature setting to 350°F-Gas mark 4 for 30 minutes.
Eat, hot or cold, preferably by placing into a paper bag and eating from one end, turning the bag back as you go. Obviously, if you want to be posh you can put it on a plate and eat it with a knife and fork.
Recipe submitted by Jim Catanich
Tradition is that the pasty shape represents the quarter moon with blunted horns. This is the emblem of Astarte, Goddess of the Phoenicians who came to Cornwall to trade tin. Later, since they contain a full meal they became very popular with miners and farm workers.
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