Cornish pasty
Cornish Pasty [kɔːnɪʃ pæstɪ] (French word origin: Paste / Pasta - a pate of any content that can be eaten without dishes or cutlery) is the name for an English version of the meat pie associated with the Cornish region . It is a filled pasta with a filling typically made of beef, potatoes, turnips, onions, salt and pepper. The dough pocket is shaped like a “D”, with the crust on which the pocket is closed after filling runs on the round outside.
history
The origins of Cornish Pasty go back to the 13th century. At that time it was reserved for the higher grades and filled with different content. In addition to beef, they also contained lamb or seafood , fruit and matching sauces. It was only over the centuries that pastries developed into a food that was mainly eaten by farmers and miners while they were working. There were workable reasons for this. The dumplings were like a stew that didn't need a plate. The entire meal was in one piece and was easy to warm up. An open flame and a shovel or something similar was enough. Since the meal could also be eaten cold, this tool was not even necessary.
Due to the fixed distribution of roles, it was not uncommon for the miners' wives to prepare meals for their husbands. So that there could be no mix-ups when eating and every miner got his own pasty with his favorite filling, the owner's initials were pressed on the edge of the pasty. This piece was held in the hand while eating and last eaten or thrown away so that the owner could still be recognized even if the pasty was half eaten.
Mining flourished in the Cornish region in the 18th and 19th centuries, and large amounts of copper and tin were mined. In the tin mines in particular, pasty was not only a popular meal because of its taste and its high satiety factor. It also served as a preventive measure against arsenic poisoning . During the working day, many miners did not come to the surface to eat, so they could not wash either. In order not to ingest the poisonous arsenic released when tin was broken down with their food, they held the dumplings by the thick crust while they ate the contents of the bag. They then threw away the contaminated crust. It was mostly around the corner with the initials.
It was said among the superstitious miners that the mining goblins were responsible for calamities and disasters in the mines. To prevent this, the arsenic-poisoned pasty crust was thrown on the floor in the hope that the goblins would eat it and die from it.
After mining became less important in the region, pasty continued to be a popular dish. The Finns who immigrated at the end of the 19th century had taken a liking to the dumplings. They brought the dish back home with them, where it became very popular. With the Finns staying in England, the pasty also remained popular in England . The ingredients and the style of the food have hardly changed since then.
Since 2007, the name 'Cornish Pasty' has been a protected geographical indication (.g.gA .; English: PGI) and may therefore only be used for pasty that complies with the relevant provisions.
Manufacturing
As many nations have made their own variations of pasty over the years, there is constant debate about who actually invented the dish. However, there is one thing that everyone agrees on: at least potatoes and onions belong in a pasty.
In addition to potatoes and onions, a Cornish pasty also includes minced beef , turnips and spices - mainly salt and pepper. The meat content must be at least 12.5%, the vegetable content at least 25%. The vegetables come raw in the bag during preparation and are only cooked in the oven when baking. The dough of a Cornish pasty has to be hearty. The thickness of the dough and crust is not specified, but it must be able to withstand the baking process and handling during eating without breaking. The crust is mandatory for a Cornish pasty. The bag gets its typical golden brown color when it is coated with milk or egg before the baking process.
economy
Over 120 million Cornish pasties are produced annually, with a commercial value of just under £ 300 million a year. This corresponds to approximately 20% of the total sales of Cornwall's grocery store. Around 2,000 people are employed full-time in production. However, they not only produce the baked goods for the domestic market, but also export them to various countries around the world.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b History | Cornish Pasty Association | Genuine Cornish Pasty . In: Cornish Pasty Association . ( cornishpastyassociation.co.uk [accessed August 28, 2017]).
- ↑ History of the Cornish Pasty . In: Historic UK . ( historic-uk.com [accessed August 28, 2017]).
- ^ Miners' Delight: The History of the Cornish Pasty . In: HISTORY.com . ( history.com [accessed August 28, 2017]).
- ↑ a b c History of the Pasty. Retrieved August 28, 2017 .
- ↑ Protected food name: Cornish pasty (PGI) - GOV.UK. Retrieved August 28, 2017 .
- ↑ About the pasty | Cornish Pasty Association | Genuine Cornish Pasty . In: Cornish Pasty Association . ( cornishpastyassociation.co.uk [accessed August 28, 2017]).
- ↑ Facts and Figures | Cornish Pasty Association | Genuine Cornish Pasty . In: Cornish Pasty Association . ( cornishpastyassociation.co.uk [accessed August 28, 2017]).