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This Cornish Pasty is bursting with tender deli ham, mild cheddar cheese, and perfectly cooked diced potatoes in a savory golden brown crust.
The Cornish Pasty was popularized by miners who wanted a full meal they could hold in their hand and eat standing up. The pasty was the perfect solution as it traditionally encased beef, turnips, potato, and onion in a crust that could keep warm for hours when properly wrapped. However, unlike it's more popular cheese-stuffed cousin, the calzone, for unfathomable reasons the Cornish pasty's popularity never quite took off beyond the culture that adopted it. Mmmmm.... turnips.
You will still find Cornish pasties being enjoyed in communities with a strong miner tradition, such as upper Michigan. When driving north on highway 41, as soon as you pass Green Bay, you are instantly greeted with a smattering of roadside signs enticing you to stop and enjoy homemade pasties. It becomes abundantly clear pasties are still a dominant staple around those parts while many of their neighbors just a few miles to the south have never heard of them.
A more lenient definition of a pasty is simply meat and vegetables wrapped in a savory crust. Despite what purists may argue, this became the more accepted rulebook by which home-cooks crafted these crusty delights, as impoverished miner families were inclined to use whatever meat and vegetables they had on hand. To that I say, "Rejoice and toss aside the turnips!" We are going to bring the Cornish pasty into the 21st century!
One of my favorite flavor combinations is ham and cheese, it is timeless. Using a high quality deli meat, like Castle Wood Reserve, and mild cheddar cheese makes for a flavor packed pasty, add in some diced potatoes and you have yourself a hearty meal!
I like using the Castle Wood Reserve Smoked Virginia Ham I picked up from Walmart for this recipe. Using a deli meat saves you the hassle of pre-cooking the meat filling, while at the same time making this tender filling the highlight of each mouthwatering bite. Plus, you will find Castled Wood Reserve's Smoked Virginia Ham and their Natural Mild Cheddar Cheese sitting right next to each other in Walmart's deli, making for a quick and easy shopping trip! Even better, right now Ibotta is featuring a $1.75 off their meat, $0.50 off cheese, and a $0.75 bonus for buying both till October 31st!
I can't help but feel good about using premium meats for this Ham Cheese and Potato Cornish Pasty recipe because Castle Wood Reserve contains no binders, no MSG, and are trans-fat free, and gluten free. Their premium meats are right at home on a charcuterie board, or in a lunch box, versatile for any occasion. Additionally, their cheese is equally high quality without any MSG, as well as trans-fat, gluten and rBST free!
Ham Cheese and Potato Cornish Pasty
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup shortening
- ~¾ cup cold water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 16 oz Deli Ham Recommend Castle Wood Reserve Smoked Virginia Ham
- 8 oz Mild Cheddar Cheese Recommend Castle Wood Reserve Natural Mild Cheddar Cheese
- 2 russet potatoes ¼" chop
Finishing
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Add flour and salt to a bowl and combine.
- Cut in shortening and mix until it resembled bread crumbs.
- Slowly incorporate water while mixing till the dough forms a ball.
- Knead briefly and refrigerate for an hour. This makes the dough easier to work with.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.
- Divide each filling ingredient into 6 equal portions.
- Roll out dough, one piece at a time, into a thin disc.
- On one half of the dough, add 1 potato portion, topped with cheese and ham, then fold the dough over the filling to close it. Crimp with a fork to ensure dough seals.
- Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Beat egg and brush onto the exterior of the pasty dough.
- Place pasties on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Notes
Don't forget to check out all of the high quality meats and cheeses offered by Castle Wood Reserve!
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Olivia
This recipe was wonderful! I used leftover ham from Easter in place of the deli meat. The crust was beautifully flaky and strong enough to be held. Mine only needed to cook for one hour.
I just noticed that you were from the Fox River Valley in Wisconsin. I live in Racine, WI and used to live in up near Appleton. So cool!
Rene
Made this a couple times so far, a big hit at our house!
Faith
This looks delicious but is far from being an authentic Cornish Pasty. You described a Cornish Pasty well at the beginning of your post and a hand pie stuffed with ham and cheese from Walmart ain't it. Still looks good.
Amber Edwards
Those look absolutely amazing! I absolutely love pastries like these they make the best easy meals on the go, or just curled up with a book on a cold afternoon! I can't wait to try this Cornish Patry! -client