Everyone has a book in them, and Billy Deakin, the back-to-back World Pasty Champion, has a bit of a corker in his locker – How To Make An Award-Winning Cornish Pasty.
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Billy is a St Agnes-born Cornishman and former Masterchef contestant who scooped the amateur titles at the Eden Project in 2012 and again this year.
Now he’s shown that it wasn’t a fluke, he’s penning a tome showing how you too can make a top-class Oggy.
As he has written on his website: “The book will include a history of the pasty from the earliest recorded recipes to the 2012 ‘Pasty Tax’ scandal and more, along with an in depth discussion on ingredients, tips and tricks for getting a perfect crust and the all important crimp, fun pasty facts.
“(There is also) a look at the fantastic work carried out by The Cornish Pasty Association and The Eden Project in championing this important part of Cornish heritage, and of course my award winning pasty recipe, along with a number of other related pasty and pie recipes.”
He’s attempting to self-finace the publication via Kickstarter so if you’re interested in finding out more, give it a visit.
As a brib…sorry a gift to Foodies South West, he’s given us a recipe. Not for a pasty of course, one doesn’t want to steal the baby’s clothes.
I often make pasty pie to use up any left over pastry when I’m making pasties – if I have a little pastry left over but not enough to make a pasty.
Sometimes I make them from scratch though as a quick and easy, and slightly lighter option than a proper pasty.
Since you only have a pastry top, they are a bit lighter and healthier (which I think means you can eat more!) but just as tasty.
Here’s my recipe for making pasty pie from scratch -almost as tasty as a proper pasty but a little lighter and incredibly quick and easy to make!
For the pastry:
175g plain flour
75g vegetable shortening
1 tsp salt
Cold water
1 egg
For the filling:
200g beef skirt
1 medium potato
1 medium onion
½ small swede
Knob of butter
Salt and pepper
In a large bowl, combine the salt and flour, then rub in the fat until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Then bring together using just enough cold water to bind.
Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 mins.
Preheat the oven to180°C/350°F/gas4.
Dice the beef, potato, swede and onion and mix together in a bowl with plenty of salt and pepper.
Place the mixture into a pie dish and add a knob of butter and a light sprinkling of flour.
Roll out the pastry to approximately3mm thickness, lay over the top of the pie dish, crimp around the edges and trim off the excess.
Beat the egg with a little water and a pinch of salt, and brush all over the pastry.
Make a couple of small holes for the steam to escape, and bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes until golden brown.
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