Cornish-style pasties

Instructions

1. 1

   Start by making the pastry. Place the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the cubes of butter and lard. Use your fingertips to rub the fats into the flour until you have a texture resembling rough breadcrumbs with a few small pieces of fat remaining (these give the pastry a slight flakiness). Pour in 175-200ml water and use a round-ended knife to stir until the mixture begins to clump together. Knead the pastry in the bowl until you have a smooth, almost stretchy dough. Wrap in clingfilm and allow to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Cut the skirt steak into bitesize chunks and place into a small bowl. Slice the potato, swede and onion using a mandoline (if you have one) or a sharp knife to get very thin, equal slices, then cut into small pieces. Place the chopped vegetables in separate bowl and season generously. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4 and line a large baking tray with baking parchment.

3. 3

   Cut the pastry into 6 equal pieces. Lightly flour the work surface and roll the first piece of dough out into a circle about 20cm wide – cut around a 20cm plate to give a perfect round. Take a small handful of the vegetable mix and place into the centre of the circle, then top with a handful of steak. Top with a knob of butter.

4. 4

   Press the pastry edges together firmly to form a D shape, then crimp the edges. Place onto the prepared tray, then brush with beaten egg and bake for 45-55 minutes until golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before enjoying hot, or leave to cool completely. The pasties can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge.