Story behind recipe: In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was a center for mining copper and iron. Immigrants came from many places for the work. The Cornish miners brought this dish with them. The miner could easily carry it into the mine and have a complete meal in one. It is said that they would reheat the pastie on a shovel held over a fire. Miners of other nationalities adopted this dish. It migrated to the surface, so when the mines closed, people continued to eat pasties. Many towns in the Upper Peninsula still have a pasty shop or two.
Cornish Pasties
Ingredients:
1/2 lb beef 3 potatoes 1 onion 1 medium rutabaga (aka yellow turnip) 2 boxes pie crust mixInstructions:
Prepare pie crust dough according to instructions on the box (or make it from scratch if you prefer). Using the mix, this takes me about 15 minutes.
Roll out dough into 9 to 10 inch circles, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, on a floured board. Cover half of each circle with meat and vegetable mixture. Fold the other side over the mixture, and pinch the edges of the dough together. With a fork, puncture the upper crust a few times. When done, you should have half circles of crust, stuffed with the meat and vegetable mix. This is a labor-intensive activity that takes me about an hour.
Bake at 325 deg F for about 1 hour (or 400 deg for 45 min)
Makes 8 to 10 pasties. Serve with ketchup and salad.
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