A taste for tradition: the history of the Cornish pasty The classic pasty made by Maria with Gerald Allen (MARTIN POPE) He has since worked his way up to be "master crimper and production director" of the premises that makes all of the pasties for Pasty Presto, which sells 2.5 million a year. The secret to the pasty he tells me, is "something you can't put your finger on; it is what it is because it's being made by people who have lived and breathed the tradition for centuries." There are references to a "pasty" in 13th-century English literature, but it is thought to have been settled in its folded form in the late 18th and the 19th century, explains Ainsley Cocks, research and information officer at the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. "The pasty supplied lots of carbohydrate in one hit, perfect for sustained physical activity - it's no wonder the miners made it their own," he says. Beef would have been hard to come by, but labourers would have kept pigs, and added a bit of pork. The steak pasty arrived in the late 19th and early 20th century. The popular story goes that the crimped crust was for holding, then throwing away, so the miners" dirty hands didn't contaminate their meal - but it's up for debate. "I find the idea fanciful," Ainsley says. They would have been wrapped in cloth, anyway. But these were very poor people, so throwing away good food for that reason... I'm not sure they would have been able to justify that. Unless something else was at play. Fairy-like spirits called 'knockers" or 'bucca" were thought to inhabit working mines, and were said to warn miners of impending danger, from a loose tunnel or beam, by 'knocking." "If treated correctly, they would look after workers, who could appease them with a morsel of food - perhaps the crust," says Ainsley. If you spent your life in the dark, you'd start to believe all sorts of things. The pasty was such an established part of life that some mines had stoves to warm them in the room where miners changed their clothes. Many workers emigrated to the Americas, particularly Mexico, to work in the silver mines. They took their tradition with them, and the paste, with chilli instead of pepper, still sells there in greater quantities than in England. Ironically, it was the pasty museum and annual festival in Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo, that inspired the festival in Redruth. Gerald thinks that the pasty's popularity today has been helped by the prominent foodie image of Cornwall. But it also suits our modern way of life. "It was designed as your wholesome meat-and-two-veg meal, easy to transport and eat on the go, and that's just as relevant today," he says. At the same time it's an anti-fast-food. It must be made by hand. "It's a simple rough-puff pastry recipe, with few components, but you have to do it with care," he says. You can't rush the baking, either - it needs 45-50 minutes, plus half an hour resting, so "the steam continues to cook and infuse the flavour of the meat, veg and juices in the pastry." The Cornish climate is ideal for the vegetables that are the pasty's backbone - potato, onion and swede (the distinctive sweetness comes from the swede). "All our vegetables come from local farms and their fresh taste carries into the pasty," Gerald says. They are chopped "into chunky pieces, not mushed," gently mixed by hand, and seasoned with salt, black pepper and white pepper. A handful of vegetables is placed in the centre of a pastry disc (covering only 50 per cent of the pastry surface) and small strips of skirt steak, used for its tender quality, are laid on top. The meat isn't carefully measured out. "I think of it as the Cornish Sunday roast," Gerald says. The bites won't be regular, but that's part of the charm. No other ingredients are allowed, if it's to be authentic. The two sides of pastry are drawn together with a light pinch, taking care not to stretch the edges, then it's put on its side and crimped (it's crucial not to get too much loose flour on the pastry discs, as the sides won't stick). Starting on the right-hand corner if you are right-handed (or vice versa) fold the corner down, then gently tease the pastry edge towards you with your index finger, followed by a gentle tuck underneath with the thumb, then continue the movement of your index finger to press the edge down. Repeat this all the way around to create a "rope effect" to seal the edge of the "d" shape. "Every crimper does it differently," Gerald says. You can tell a left-hander from a right-hander. Mine looks like a two-left-footer. "Don't worry," he says. As long as it stays sealed, a bit of roughness shows it's handmade. The seal is particularly important with sweet fillings, which can boil over easily - if, that is, like Pasty Presto, you are happy with twists on the tradition. They make a seasonal Cornish rhubarb, apple and custard pasty, and savoury varieties such as spicy chickpea and potato. Purists may tut, but the principle - great flavour, in pastry... what's not to love? You have to wonder, though, what those 19th-century miners would have made of it all. "Many of the miners who spread around the world came back, and they made Cornwall more cosmopolitan and adventurous," Ainsley says. There are accounts of people walking around Redruth in ponchos and sombreros: I think they would be comfortable with change. So, when you've got your perfect pasty, is there anything you should have with it? "Nothing," says Gerald. No distractions. All you need is a pier to sit on and swing your legs. How to make a traditional pasty This is the 2013 world championship-winning pasty, created by Pasty Presto. Makes four pasties 450g good-quality beef, e.g. skirt 450g potato 250g swede 200g onion Salt, black pepper and white pepper to taste (2:1 ratio) 120g white shortening 25g cake margarine 500g strong bread flour 5g salt 175ml cold water Mix the fat lightly into the flour and salt, until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add water and either mix by hand or in a food mixer, until the pastry becomes elastic. Leave the pastry to rest for 45 minutes in a refrigerator. While the pastry is resting, finely chop the potato, swede and onions. Mix the chopped vegetables together in a bowl, by hand, and add the seasoning. Into a separate bowl, cut the meat into small cubes or strips. Roll the pastry out on to a lightly floured board. Cut the pastry into a disc, about 20cm in diameter (a plate placed upside down can be used to get the disc shape). Place a handful of the mixed veg in the centre of the pastry disc. Layer a handful of meat across the top of the veg. Fold the pastry to make a "d" shape. Crimp around the edge to seal the pasty (there are handy videos that demonstrate this on YouTube.com) Glaze with egg or milk. Make a small incision in the top of the pasty, to allow the steam to come out. Place in a preheated oven (185C/365F/gas 4) for 45-50 minutes, and bake until golden brown. Allow to rest and cool for 15-20 minutes before eating - enjoy! The Cornish Mining and Pasty Festival runs from Sept 6-8, in Redruth. See Visit Redruth for more information.