Cornish Pasties

These may not look to pretty but they make a hearty meal.   The Cornish Pasty now has Europian Union Protected Status.  It can only be called a Cornish pasty if it is made in Cornwall.  Pasties have caused much controversy in the South West of England, particularly Devon and Cornwall, as to what makes an authentic pasty.  I will just call mine Meat and vegetable pasties to avoid trouble with the EU and avoid offending Devonians or the Cornish.  I cheated anyway and used a packet of Shortcrust Pastry mix, I just had to add water and mix it.

Ingredients for the filling:
500g Minced Beef
2 potatoes, peeled and finely diced
1/3 of a large swede, peeled and finely diced
2 onions peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots peeled and finely chopped
Salt and Black pepper to season

I mixed all of the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  I divided 1kg of Shortcrust pastry into 8.  This mix made seven large pasties.  The left over pastry made 'Cheesestraws'.   I rolled the pastry into a circle.  Squished two large tablespoons of mixture into the centre of the circle and sealed it with beated egg.  Traditional pasty makers are extremely skilled at sealing and crimping a pasty neatly, I need more practice.  I brushed the pasties with egg and baked them in a medium oven for between 45 minutes to 1 hour. 
These were the traditonal packed lunch of the Cornish Tin miners, half of the pasty would have contained meat and vegetables and the other half fruit, the thick crust was to hold the pie and prevent it getting dirty, then the crust would not have been eaten.  I think with the size of my pasties a couple of miners could share one.  Maybe I shouldn't have eaten all of the crust either!