So this recipe comes specifically from the essence of my life ( this before 2020 I must say). As you might already now by now ( if not you should check previous posts to find out all about me!) I do travel a lot. I used to travel at least once a month and If I was not going somewhere in the world I was going back home to my dear Italy ❤
This is to say that I have spent an awful amount of time in London Gatwick airport, I have tried all the restaurants, fast foods, every type of food in M&S ( the sushi boxes are not to bad if you want to know actually) and WHS smith ( I know I am not proud of it )... but I felt in love with a specific food that I have never tasted before...
....As you reach the airport from the train station the first thing you will see in front of you (and smell) is a small shop called West Cornwall Pasty. Despite passing by so many times I have to be honest... I didn't really noticed it at first! My partner instead, was dragged there by the intense smell of the pasty just to find out that... That is the most amazing place for pasty!
We have not been in Gatwick airport in a long time now ( for obvious reasons ) and we started missing it! It was a must stopping there either when going out or coming back to London... So I have decided to make my man happy for one evening ( I am talking about dinner....!) and try to master my very own recipe for this amazing dish!
I have to say... I have NEVER been to Cornwall and I have no aims at saying that this dish is from there! It is just inspired from what I have tasted in the Airport ( so maybe not even very authentic).
Waiting to walk down Gatwick airport again...
waiting to stop by to the shop to grab a pasty...
I made this!
And what is for you the dish that shout "HOLIDAY"?
Doses for 4 pasties
INGREDIENTS for the pasty
- 200 g flour
- 100 g butter
- 50 g iced water
INGREDIENTS for steak and ale
- 200 g beef diced
- Half lemon juice
- 1 potatoes
- 1 carrots
PROCEDURE
- Click HERE for the pasty recipe! quick ready in 30 minutes!
You can also use a shortcrust pastry roll but if you make your own is even better!
With the amount of shortcrust pastry of the recipe we will be able to make 4 pasties. If you instead want to buy but the pre-made roll you will only be able to make 2 so buy two rolls or make them smaller!
- Click HERE for the recipe of the beef stew! It takes about 2 hours for the best results!
For the steak and ale pasty you will need half of the amount of stew written in the previous recipe ( The original recipe is for 400 g of meat and we only need 200g here! so make half of the dose or get ready to eat the stew the day after!)
Once the beef stew is cooked, we will leave it cool down for about 20-30 minutes.
Get out of the fridge the shortcrust pastry that we have prepared or the one you shamely bought in the supermarket ( no judging ahahah )!
Roll it out flat using a rolling pin on a surface previously covered with flour ( or it will stick there forever trust a stupid one!)
Leave it about 0.2-0.4 mm width to make sure it will not break when you start filling it.
Now we have to cut it in round shapes of about 20 cm of diameter.
As I do not have anything to cut the dough with ( I always tell myself to buy some but then I forget! Same for the pasta and the dumplings...I always struggle🤣!) I used one of the soup bowl faced down and I press it hard on the dough to cut it. Anything round will do... ( a pot, a plate, a cake thin! Use your fantasy, you do not need expensive kitchen equipments you just need imagination here!)
Once you have cut your round shape pasty, put a big spoon of filling ( the stew ) on one half of the pastry circle. Make sure the sauce is not too watery ( Fill the spoon mainly with meat and vegetables leaving some sauce behind... too much sauce will start dribbling out of the pastry edges making impossible to close it...you will just make a mess!).
You need to leave at least a 3 of fingers width from the border of the pasty to be able to close it properly. If it get wet with the sauce, you will not be able to close it properly so be careful with the sauce.
Now close the pasty by folding the unfilled half of the pastry on top of the other making a semicircle, halfmoon shape ( like a tacos!)
Press hard on the edges to make sure they seal properly. Then Crimp the edge of the pasty on itself to make sure is properly sealed... this will also give it the esthetical touch typical shape of the famous Cornwall pastry!
last touch...with a bit of milk brush the outer part of your pasty in order to make it properly golden once cooked (I know this is usually done with an egg but this 2020 made me realize that eggs are overestimated in the kitchen! a bit of milk or soy milk will give the same effects!)
Now they are ready to go in the oven!! Put them on a baking tray using greaseproof paper.
Put them now in the oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees ( or until they have goldened!)
THEY ARE NOW READY TO BE EATEN ( FINALLY!)
ENJOY!
SUGGESTIONS
-Once out of the oven they are ready to be eaten right away super-hot as they serve it in the shops ( careful the filling... your tongue will thank you!) or you can pack them and take them for your picnic in the park ( who said we need to eat salads?)!
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