Week-2 Jay made Cornish pasties. We spoke about our Celtic heritage, the history of Cornish tin mining, the development of the pasty and appeasing the Knockers with the left over crust. How these traditions and mines spread to the British Virgin Islands and even Wisconsin where they still make local pasties today as part of their Cornish heritage.
We then had to translate the 'official Cornish recipe'. The cut of beef used is called skirt steak in the UK - but skirt steak is a different cut here in the US. Here, the cut that is British skirt steak is called, 'hanger steak or butcher's steak. Also, the lard here is sorter and needed working into the flour differently. Then it cake to the math. We had to convert the recipe into US Imperial measures and also the oven temperature into Fahrenheit. All good integrated homeschooling curricula! We doubled the recipe too, because 'Cornish pasties' - we love 'em! You can find our recipe conversion and the original Cornish one by scrolling down.
Our Recipe Conversion
50-55mins 330F
For the pastry
17.5oz strong bread flour (it is important to use a stronger flour than normal as you need the extra strength in the gluten to produce strong pliable pastry)
4oz lard or white shortening
4.5oz Cornish butter
1 tsp salt
6floz cold water
For the filling
14oz good quality beef skirt, cut into cubes
10.5oz potato, peeled and diced
15.5oz swede/turnip*, peeled and diced
5.5oz onion, peeled and sliced
Salt & pepper to taste (2:1 ratio)
Beaten egg or milk to glaze
The original recipe can be found here:
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