Recipe: Butternut Squash, Sage, and Parmesan Pasties

updated May 2, 2019
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Credit: Emily Han
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(Image credit: Emily Han)

Ever since we visited

Cornwall

farmers’ market and a craving for buttery shortcrust…
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

We should probably get this out of the way first: these aren’t traditional Cornish pasties, and we hope not to be chastised by the pasty police! For a humble little (or large, as the case may be) hand pie, the pasty engenders much passion and controversy. The national dish of Cornwall, where it was the staple of 19th century working men, the pasty is frequently the subject of debate – from the proper cut of the vegetables inside (cubed or sliced?) to the correct placement of the crimped edge (side or top?). We were amused and inspired to learn that there’s even a “pasty activist,” as described in a recent feature in The Economist.

True Cornish pasties are filled with beef, potatoes, and turnips, which are never cooked first, as they’re meant to steam inside the shortcrust pastry as it bakes. A complete meal on their own, pasties may be eaten hot or at room temperature on the go. Some consider them the original fast food. While this newfangled vegetarian version probably wouldn’t earn any points from Cornish miners, we do hope you’ll find it a savory and sustaining dish that’s easy to carry for lunch or delicious at dinner.

Butternut Squash, Sage, and Parmesan Pasties

Makes 2 to 4 pasties

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1 1/3 cups

    all-purpose flour

  • Pinch of salt

  • 2/3 cup

    chilled butter, cut into small pieces

  • 6 to 8 tablespoons

    ice water

For the filling:

  • 8 ounces

    butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes

  • 1

    medium red onion, diced

  • 1 clove

    garlic, crushed

  • 1 tablespoon

    finely chopped sage

  • 1 tablespoon

    finely chopped parsley

  • 1/4 cup

    grated Parmesan cheese

  • 2 tablespoons

    pine nuts, toasted

  • Sea salt

  • Freshly ground white pepper (or black)

  • 1

    egg, beaten

Instructions

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Make the dough:

  1. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or knife, cut butter into flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time, gently tossing between additions, until the dough just holds together. Shape dough into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

  2. Before rolling out the dough, let it soften slightly so that it is malleable but still cold. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out two circles using a plate or bowl as a guide.

Make the pasties:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

  2. In a large bowl, combine butternut squash, onion, garlic, sage, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts.

  3. Spoon mixture over half of each dough round, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper.

  4. Moisten the edges of the dough with beaten egg. With cool hands, fold the pastry over and crimp the edges. (Use any crimping technique you like, just make sure it is well sealed. For the traditional Cornish method, see this YouTube video.) Cut a small slit in the top of each pasty. Brush all over with beaten egg.

  5. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

(Images: Emily Ho)