Cornish Pasty for Hiking
A shortcrust pastry pocket filled with beef, potato, turnip and onion, sealed with a twisted crimp. Cold, it fits in a pocket and is eaten by hand, without cutlery — the walker's meal par excellence.
A shortcrust pastry pocket filled with beef, potato, turnip and onion, sealed with a twisted crimp. Cold, it fits in a pocket and is eaten by hand, without cutlery — the walker's meal par excellence.
When I went walking — and God knows I loved the mountains more than anything — I needed a lunch that could withstand both a backpack and the rain. The pasty is made for that: the pastry protects the filling like a shell, and the twisted crimp on the side once served as a handle that you threw away. You eat it cold, standing, eyes on the valley. Nothing like it to regain strength before the last climb.
- •Flour, butter or lard — for a firm pastry (envelope)
- •Lean beef (chuck) — sliced (filling)
- •Potato — sliced (filling)
- •Rutabaga or turnip (swede) — diced (filling)
- •Onion — sliced (filling)
- •Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Cornish Pasty for Hiking
A shortcrust pastry pocket filled with beef, potato, turnip and onion, sealed with a twisted crimp. Cold, it fits in a pocket and is eaten by hand, without cutlery — the walker's meal par excellence.
Why this dish? Rosalind was a passionate mountaineer and hiker: she walked in the Alps, Norway, Wales. The filled pastry pocket, robust and portable, was the ideal snack slipped into the bag for a long day in the mountains.
When I went walking — and God knows I loved the mountains more than anything — I needed a lunch that could withstand both a backpack and the rain. The pasty is made for that: the pastry protects the filling like a shell, and the twisted crimp on the side once served as a handle that you threw away. You eat it cold, standing, eyes on the valley. Nothing like it to regain strength before the last climb.
Ingredients (period version)
- Flour, butter or lard — for a firm pastry (envelope)
- Lean beef (chuck) — sliced (filling)
- Potato — sliced (filling)
- Rutabaga or turnip (swede) — diced (filling)
- Onion — sliced (filling)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Flour — 300 g (envelope)
- Cold butter + lard — 150 g total (envelope)
- Cold water — 6-8 tbsp (pastry binder)
- Beef chuck — 250 g (filling)
- Potato — 1 large (filling)
- Rutabaga (swede) — 150 g (filling)
- Onion — 1 (filling)
- Egg (wash) — 1 (finish)
Method
- Make a firm shortcrust pastry: rub flour with cold fats, bind with water, rest 30 min in the fridge.
- Roughly dice beef, potato, rutabaga and onion; season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roll out pastry, cut into discs about 20 cm.
- Fill one half of each disc, fold over, seal the edge by twisting (the characteristic crimp).
- Brush with egg, prick a small hole, and bake 45-50 min at 180 °C until golden brown.
- Allow to cool slightly; eat warm at home or cold on the trail.
How it was made : The Cornish pasty, popularised by Cornish miners in the 19th century, was the ideal portable lunch: the thick crust served as a handle and protection. By the 20th century, hikers and workers had made it their outdoor snack.
The contemporary twist : A vegetarian version with cheddar and onion, wrapped in recyclable wax paper, for today's walks.
Rosalind Franklin · Charactorium
