A pasty is a British baked pastry that is traditionally associated with Cornwall, South West England, but has spread all over the British Isles. Although the officially protected Cornish pasty has a specific ingredients list, old Cornish cookery books show that pasties were generally made from whatever food was available. Here are some details about the ingredients and materials used in making pasties:
Ingredients:
- Meat and vegetables are the typical filling for a pasty.
- The officially protected Cornish pasty must contain at least 12.5% beef and 25% vegetables in the whole pasty, and no meat other than beef and no vegetables apart from those listed can be used in the filling.
- Pasties can contain a variety of fillings, including stilton, vegetarian, and even chicken tikka.
Materials:
- The pastry used for a pasty can be shortcrust, rough puff, or puff, but it has to be savory and able to withstand baking and handling without breaking.
- The pastry must be crimped into a D shape, with the crimp towards one side, and glazed with milk, egg, or both, before being slowly baked to combine and release all the lovely flavors.
- The specific shape of the pasty was thought to have come around for good reason, as miners used to take the pasties into the tin mines, and theyd be nutritious and filling enough to keep the workers going all day.
Positive:
- Pasties are a traditional British food that is enjoyed by many people.
- They are a convenient and portable food that can be eaten on the go.
Negative:
- There are no significant negative aspects associated with pasties.
