Traditional Cornish Pasties

Making the shortcrust pastry

1. Add your flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut up your butter and lard into small cubes.
2. Add your butter and lard into the bowl of flour and using your fingertips, rub it into the flour to create a crumb like mixture. 
3. Add the cold water and using a spoon or your hands, mix together until a dough has formed. 
4. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and form it into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour at least.

Making the pasties

1. Peel your potatoes and swede into small chunks and grate your onion. Cut your beef skirt into small chunks (against the grain).
2. Roll out your dough on a floured surface, ensuring it’s about the thickness of a pound coin (about 3mm). Cut out rounds about 16cm diameter (the size of a side plate). Feel free to use one of yours to cut around. As long as the round is at least 16cm diameter. You can go bigger, depending on what size pasties you want to make.
3. Pile a small amount of potato, swede, onion and meat in the middle of your pasty round. Season well with salt and pepper. 
4. Now for the crimping part: fold one side of the pastry over to meet the over side, pressing down to seal. I find it’s a good idea to hold your filling back with you middle fingers as your folding over. This is to stop it trying to leak out. This is a tricky part and may take a few tries to get it right. Don’t be disheartened. You now want to hold one end of the pasty pastry and fold it over to meet the pastry next to it. You’ll carry on doing little folds like this to create a crimping pattern. Place your pasties on a lined baking tray. 
5.  Mix the egg and milk together in a small bowl and brush over the pasty. Bake in a hot oven of about 220 degrees C for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown.