Oggies – Traditional Cornish Pasties

I have very fond memories of a holiday taken in Bude Cornwall where a wonderful little bakery shop was found turning out the Traditional “Oggy” Cornish Pasty. You know when something is excellent by the queues of people waiting just not inside the shop, but also spilling out onto the street for that just baked pasty coming out of their ovens. The pasties would be placed into paper bags and eaten by me and my family sat by the sea while still warm, with mouth-watering shortcrust pastry, tender little chunks of meat and vegetables, what delectable delight that was.

I have tried to recreate here those fond memories in my own pasties, isn’t it strange how food can enchant you back to pervious times! To think this was the traditional packed lunch for the tin miners in Cornwall. I am lead to believe one end of the pasty would be filled with meat and veggies and the other end filled with jam or fruit.


Oggies - Cornish Pasties

Makes 4

Ingredients
For The Shortcrust Pastry
450g (1 lb) plain flour
100g (4 oz) butter
100g (4 oz) vegetable shortening or lard
Pinch of salt
Cold water to mix, I use 1 tsp for every 25g (1 oz) of flour used
1 egg yolk with a little water, egg wash for glazing the pastry
For The Filling
350g (12 oz) stewing beef , chopped into small pieces
1 raw potato, cut into very small dice
Raw swede about the same amount as potato, cut into very small dice
Small onion, sliced into very small dice
Sal & pepper
4 small-diced pieces of butter
A little flour for sprinkling onto the meat

Method

You will need a large baking tray, lined with non-stick paper. Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/425°F/Gas mark 7.

To make the pastry, in a food processor add the flour, butter, vegetable shortening or lard. Blitz together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and blitz again until it forms into a ball. Take out of the food processor and wrap in cling film and place in the fridge until chilled. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm (1/4 in). With a side plate as a template cut round until you have 4 circles, (you may need to re-roll the pastry).

For The Filling. Firstly divide the vegetables into 4 and also the meat. Place in the centre of each circle of pastry, half of the divided vegetables then the meat season with salt and pepper a sprinkle of flour and the remaining vegetables. With a pastry brush egg wash all the way around the outside rim of the pastry, and gently bring the pastry together at the top. Crimp the pastry top with your thumb and forefinger. Place on the prepared baking tray and make a little slit in the top to allow the steam to escape when cooking. Lastly give the pasties a good glaze of egg wash and place into the preheated oven.

Cook for 20 minutes at the stated oven temperature, and then lower the oven temperature down to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4, and cook for a further 40 minutes. If the pastry appears to becoming too brown, place a sheet of baking paper loosely over the top of the pasties to help prevent them from burning.

Serve hot or cold.

Note. If you don’t want to make your own shortcrust pastry there are some good ready-made pastry’s you can buy now.