The pasty (pronounced pasty as in hasty), has been around since before the 1300s. In fact, according to Wikipedia, it was around back in the 1300s when "the earliest version of Le Viandier," contained many different recipes for the pasty.
The traditional Cornish pasty became popular in the English tin mining region of Cornwall. The pasty was handheld, stayed warm for long periods of time or was easily heated over a candle, used ingredients that were cheap and full of calories. The thick crust edges were great for two reasons. 1) The thick crust could be used as a handhold for the miners. Working in the mines created dirty arsenic ridden hands. Holding the pasty by the thick crust ensured the miners a clean meal and the crusts could be thrown away after the meal is eaten. 2) Using a toothpick the maker of the pasty could engrave the miner's name or initials to ensure they would get their own pasty.
When the tin mines stopped producing in Cornwall, the miners spread out across the globe to find new jobs. Many of these miners ended up in the mines of Northern Michigan and Wisconsin and brought the tradition of the pasty with them. The many ethnic groups in the region, especially the Finish and Italian groups, took the pasty and created their own versions. In fact, the pasties became so popular that they were sold in many restaurants in the Upper Michigan and Wisconsin areas and tourists loved the tasty treats and made them popular recipes in many cookbooks.
The traditional pasty is created using a homemade crust, potatoes, turnips or rutabaga, diced meat usually venison or beef, carrots, and onions. The ingredients are diced and placed in the crust, the crust is crimped on the side and cooked.
In my less traditional Pasty recipe, I use refrigerated pie dough and add some herbs and spices. However, I use the same root vegetables, but substitute the diced meat with ground turkey. Furthermore, I precook the meat and vegetables and create a delicious gravy to make the pasty a little more like a handheld pot pie. The key to making this recipe successfully is to let the meat and vegetable mixture cool thoroughly before filling and crimping the crusts. You can still pick it up and eat as a handheld, but use a knife and fork if you wish...however you decide to eat the pasty it is sure to delight your tastebuds!
The Cornish Pasty has been around for centuries as a traditional lunch for miners. My, non-traditional, easy, pasty recipe will delight your tastebuds!
In a large skillet brown the ground turkey on a medium low heat until a little pink still remains.
While the ground turkey is browning, dice the carrot, potatoes, and rutabaga, into small pieces of the same size.
Stir in the the onions, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper with the slightly pink, ground turkey. Continue to cook the mixture until the ground turkey is fully cooked.
Stir in the diced carrots, potatoes, and rutabaga, and two cups of beef stock to the ground turkey mixture. Cover and cook on low for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are almost cooked through.
In a small bowl add the 1 cup of beef stock and the corn starch and stir.
When the vegetables are almost done (they will finish cooking in the oven), make a well in the middle of the mixture and slowly add the cornstarch mixture stirring constantly. When all of the cornstarch mixture is added, slowly stir in the vegetables until the entire mixture has thickened.
Once the pastie mixture has thickened, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
While the mixture is cooling, in a small bowl whisk together the egg and water. Take the refrigerated pie dough out of the refrigerator and cut each into halves.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, place one of the precut refrigerated pie dough pieces. Cover one half of the dough with the meat and vegetable mixture leaving about an inch around the edges. You can pile it on pretty high, but make sure you can easily fold the pie dough over.
Brush the edges of the dough with the egg and water mixture. Carefully, fold the dough over and using a fork to seal the edges.
Brush the top of the dough with the egg mixture and then use a fork or knife to make a few holes in the top of the crust. This will allow steam to escape during baking.
Use a spatula and carefully place the filled pie dough on a prepared cookie sheet. Continue until all pasties are prepared.
Place the cookie sheets in the preheated oven and cook until the pie crusts are brown about 20 to 25 minutes.
Have you altered or made this Pasty recipe? Please comment below to let us know how it turned out.
History Channel - Pasty History
Ingredients
Directions
In a large skillet brown the ground turkey on a medium low heat until a little pink still remains.
While the ground turkey is browning, dice the carrot, potatoes, and rutabaga, into small pieces of the same size.
Stir in the the onions, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper with the slightly pink, ground turkey. Continue to cook the mixture until the ground turkey is fully cooked.
Stir in the diced carrots, potatoes, and rutabaga, and two cups of beef stock to the ground turkey mixture. Cover and cook on low for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are almost cooked through.
In a small bowl add the 1 cup of beef stock and the corn starch and stir.
When the vegetables are almost done (they will finish cooking in the oven), make a well in the middle of the mixture and slowly add the cornstarch mixture stirring constantly. When all of the cornstarch mixture is added, slowly stir in the vegetables until the entire mixture has thickened.
Once the pastie mixture has thickened, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
While the mixture is cooling, in a small bowl whisk together the egg and water. Take the refrigerated pie dough out of the refrigerator and cut each into halves.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, place one of the precut refrigerated pie dough pieces. Cover one half of the dough with the meat and vegetable mixture leaving about an inch around the edges. You can pile it on pretty high, but make sure you can easily fold the pie dough over.
Brush the edges of the dough with the egg and water mixture. Carefully, fold the dough over and using a fork to seal the edges.
Brush the top of the dough with the egg mixture and then use a fork or knife to make a few holes in the top of the crust. This will allow steam to escape during baking.
Use a spatula and carefully place the filled pie dough on a prepared cookie sheet. Continue until all pasties are prepared.
Place the cookie sheets in the preheated oven and cook until the pie crusts are brown about 20 to 25 minutes.
This recipe sounded so good that I had to tweet it just to save it. I love anything that has to do with pie crust. This will certainly be on my list to cook. The history lesson was great too.
Let me know when you make this! It makes a great fall dinner.
This sounds so delicious! We used to go to a pasty dinner at a local church once a month. It was wonderful. I have never thought of using refrigerated pie dough, but I think it would be a great way to make it easier, and still so very tasty!
Sounds like a yummy family dinner. Thanks for sharing 🙂
In my opinion, as a good blogger you should have a YouTube channel:)
I love Cornish Pastys. A church near us in California used to have Pasty dinners as a fundraiser every quarter. Our whole family would go and it was so fun and delicious. I will have to try making them now.
That is so fun! We always get them when we are snowmobiling in Upper Michigan and Northern Wisconsin! Let me know what you think of my recipe or let me know what recipe you use.
I had never heard of a pasty, but I am glad you shared this recipe. I am definitely going to be trying these!
They are yummy in your tummy! Let me know what you think and if you make it more healthy, let me know how!