Cornish Pasty

Combine the flour and fine sea salt in a large bowl. Add the cold lard and butter cubes and rub them into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of fat remaining.

Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time, bringing the dough together with a butter knife until it just holds — do not overwork it. Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan / gas mark 7). Line a large baking tray with baking parchment.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the rested dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a circle roughly 25 cm in diameter and 3 mm thick — use a dinner plate as a guide and trim the edges.

Layer the filling across one half of each pastry circle, leaving a 2 cm border: start with a layer of potato slices, then swede, then onion, then the raw beef skirt cubes. Season generously with flaky sea salt and black pepper, then press a small knob of butter on top of each mound.

Brush the border of each pastry circle with beaten egg. Fold the empty half of the pastry over the filling to meet the opposite edge, pressing firmly to seal. Crimp the edge by folding and twisting the pastry over itself in a rope pattern along the top — this is the traditional Cornish crimp, not pressed with a fork.

Transfer the pasties to the prepared tray and brush all over with beaten egg wash. Cut a small steam vent in the top of each pasty with the tip of a sharp knife.

Bake at 220°C for 20 minutes until the pastry is set and beginning to colour.

Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C (150°C fan / gas mark 3) and bake for a further 35 minutes until deep golden brown. Check the internal temperature of the filling using a meat thermometer — it must reach a minimum of 63°C at the centre before serving.

Rest the pasties on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving — the filling continues to steam and settle, making it far easier to eat without collapsing.