Cornish Pasty

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 You can not imagine how good you feel (if you are a gourmand) to work in a multicultural environment. Every day you find out a new recipe. This time I asked my British colleague Peter for a recipe that is not Sheperd's pie. We all know that one! I wanted something that I didn't hear about. Maybe for you is something old, but for me it was a wonderful finding.

Daca ati sti ce bine e pentru un gurmand sa lucreze intr-un mediu multicultural! Afla retete noi chiar de la sursa originala. De data asta am ceva din Marea Britanie. Am auzit pentru prima oara despre reteta asta cand l-am rugat pe colegul meu Peter sa-mi dea o idee care nu e Shepard's pie. De asta toata lumea a auzit. Iar eu vroiam ceva mai altfel. Peter a avut dreptate: foarte foarte buna mancarea asta.


Tot el mi-a spus si povestea. Cornish pasty e traditionala din Cornwall, acolo unde sute de ani principalul job a fost in minele de staniu. Incepand cu sfarsitul sec. al 18- lea minele au intrat in declin, dar minerii au dus reteta peste tot in lume acolo unde au ajuns.
Reteta are o crusta din coca, facuta in asa fel incat sa serveasca atat ca recipient pentru umplutura, cat si ca farfurie. Minerii luau "placinta" cu mana murdara, mancau partea de deasupra si umplutura, apoi aruncau coca murdra.

Umplutura traditionala cuprinde carne de vita, ceapa, cartof si nap. Adica ce se gasea mai ieftin prin piete.

Ceea ce e special la Cornish Pasty si o face mai cu mot fata de suratele ei, e ca umplutura se pune negatita in coca. Secretul ca sa nu ramana carnea cruda? Trebuie taiata bucati cat mai mici.

Hai sa vedem ce am folosit eu (4 persoane- 4 placintele)

Pentru coca

• 220 g faina
• 110 g unt foarte rece, taiat cubulete mici
• un praf ce sare
• cam 10 linguri de apa foarte rece

Pentru umplutura

• 200 g cane vita, taiata foarte marunt
• 1 ceapa mare tocata mic
• 1 cartof mare, taiat cubulete mici
•  1 morcov, taiat cubulete mici
• sare, piper dupa gust
• cimbru, rozmarin

 Altele

• un ou batut usor

Eu am facut coca cu robotul de bucatarie, dar se face foarte usor si cu mana. Amesteca faina cu untul si sarea pana ce devin ca nisipul. Pune cate putina apa si amesteca, pana ce totul devine o coca. Infasoara in plastic si lasa la congelator 15 min (sau 30 min in frigider)
In timpul asta porneste cuptorul la 220 C. Taie carnea si legumele. Amesteca ingredientele umpluturii
Scoate coca din congelator si imparte-o in 4 bucati egale. Intinde prima bucata. Cu ajutorul unei farfurii de desert taie o forma circulara
Pune in centru un sfert din umplutura si unge marginile cu ou
Unge cu ou peste tot
Aduna marginile in sus si preseaza ca sa sigilezi umplutura
Fa la fel si cu celelate 3 bucati de coca. Baga la cuptor cam 60 minute.

Ingredients for 4 pies

For pastry

• 220g all purpose flour
• 110 g butter, cubed
• 10 Tbs cold water
• Pinch of salt 

For the filling

• 200 g rump steak, cut into small cubes
• 1 big onion, finely chopped
• 1 big potato, cut into 5 mm dice
• Salt and pepper

Other

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

First, you have to make the pastry. I made it with the hand mixer, but it can be done by hand as well

1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough becoming warm. Add the water to the mixture and stir until the dough starts to form. Add more cold water a teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 15 minutes in freezer (or 30 minutes in the refrigerator)

2. Heat the oven at 220 C. Divide the pastry into 4 and roll each piece into rounds the size of a tea plate.

3. Mix  thoroughly the onion, potato and meat into a large mixing bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.

4. Divide the meat mixture between each pastry circle. Brush the edges with a little beaten egg.

5. Draw up the edges of the pastry into a line above the center of the filling. Crimp the top edge ensuring the seal is tight. Brush each pasty all over with the remaining beaten egg.

6. Place the pasties on a greased baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes until golden brown.