How To Crimp A Pasty
Our team led by Paula, crimp a lot of pasties each day. A skilled crimper like Paula can crimp 3-4 pasties a minute, some very speeder crimpers have been known to do 7 a minute!
Not everyone can do it though! Some people crimp left to right and others right to left, just like being left or right-handed when you write. If a pasty is crimped by a left hander it is known as a cock pasty, whilst a right hander crimped pasty is a hen.
Our pasty team know who has crimped a pasty as each has their own technique, so every pasty is a truly handmade artisan product.
If you've seen Simon on QVC showing how to crimp a pasty you may want to see this again – just watch the video below…
Paula makes it look easy, right? However, for anyone who might want to have a more step-by-step detailed guide to refer to, how to make, crimp and bake and crimp your own pasty, please read on...
Step 1: Roll out the pastry
The first step in making a pasty is to prepare the pastry. The best kind to use for a pasty is shortcrust – this is because it’s firmer than puff pastry, which is important when you need to keep your filling inside the pasty. For best results, take the pastry out of the fridge approximately 45 minutes before you are ready to use it.
Step 2: Add the filling
Place your filling on one half of the pastry. Here you can add whatever you like, but good old traditional steak, swede, potato and onion always works well, or maybe you fancy a veggie option of goats cheese and spinach.
Step 3: Fold the pastry
Fold the other half of the pastry over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Make sure the edges of the pastry line up evenly.
Step 4: Seal the pasty
Use your fingers to press the edges of the pastry together to seal the pasty. You want to make sure the edges are firmly pressed together to prevent any filling from leaking out during baking.
Step 5: Crimp the edges
To crimp the edges, use your fingers to pinch, twist and roll the pastry for that classic crimp. If you’re struggling to be as skilled as Paula in our video, use a fork. To create a pattern of small lines or indentations. This helps to create a decorative finish and also ensures the edges are tightly sealed – you don’t want to lose any of that lovely filling!
Step 6: Repeat and egg/milk wash
Repeat this process around the entire edge of the pasty, making sure to press firmly to ensure a tight seal. Once you have finished crimping the pasty, brush the pastry with an egg wash (1 egg to 1 tbsp milk) to create a golden brown and shiny crust.
Rather than egg (as many people are allergic to egg and milk) we use a pea glaze to give our pasties the perfect golden glaze.
Step 7: Bake it!
Now that you’ve prepared your perfect pasty, it’s time to cook it. make two small cuts into the pastry before cooking. This will allow the steam to escape and prevent your pastry from being soggy once cooked.
For the best results, get your oven up to 200C/gas mark 6 before putting your pasty in – then cook for 20 minutes, after which you turn the oven’s temperature down to 160C/gas mark 3 and cook for another 20 minutes.
And there you have it your own pasty. Or you could just order one for delivery instead!
Go on – take a chunk!
