Cornish pasties

I’m relieved that the trip to the hospital is not so early this morning. It was very cold last night. When I got up, the windscreen of our car was covered with a thick layer of ice. As I went around to the laundry room I had a look at the thermometer on the shed wall, -10̊̊̊̊°C.  Brr.

It’s given me chance to make some Cornish Pasties. It’s not the traditional recipe but an amendment of one I found over 40 years ago, when we were first married. It is from the first hand-written book of recipes I have. In these books I keep successful recipes from leaflets, magazines, labels and my imagination. I’m now on book four.

Anyhow, this recipe is on page 6 of that first book. We’ve had it numerous times throughout out married life & it’s still a winner. This time, however, I’ve amended it slightly by using minced lamb rather than minced beef.

When I was first married it was impossible to buy ready minced lamb, pork etc., just minced beef. Any other meat you had to mince yourself. Today I’m using up from the freezer & found a small bag of 2oz of minced lamb, just enough for a pasty each.

The real secret of the success of this recipe I’m quite convinced is the little bit of undiluted condensed mushroom soup I add. It gives it an extra moisture which is very satisfying. The pasties are now par-cooked, enough to soften the potato inside & harden the pastry off without unduly browning it. When we get back from Preston & the hospital it is just a case of continuing the cooking at a lower temperature to thoroughly cook through the meat & onion. We’re both looking forward to it.