Lifestyle
Pork Cornish pies made with ready-rolled puff pastry
These delicious hand-held pies feature flavourful pork shoulder mince enhanced with aromatic spices and sweet chutney.
Instead of standard minced pork, these cornish pies use pork shoulder. It’s a slightly fattier cut, which means more flavour and a better texture once cooked. The spices bring warmth, and a spoon of chutney adds a subtle sweetness that works well with the richness of the meat. The pastry is puff, not shortcrust, which gives it a lighter finish. They reheat well, travel well, and make a nice change from sandwiches for lunch. Recipe compliments of SA Pork.
Portions: 6-8 | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 500g pork shoulder mince
- 1/3 cup onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup potatoes, diced and cooked
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen sugar snap peas
- 1/3 cup chutney of choice
- 2 sheets of ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and spices (curry powder, cumin, mustard seeds), and sauté until fragrant and the onion is translucent.
- Add the pork mince to the pan, cook until browned, and break it up with a wooden spoon – season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the cooked diced potatoes and peas. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the chutney. Reduce heat and let the filling cool for about 10 minutes.
- Cut each pastry sheet into 4 equal squares (you should have 8 squares total). Place 2-3 tablespoons of the filling in the centre of each square.
- Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg, then fold over to form triangles or rectangles. Seal the edges by pressing with a fork.
- Transfer the pies to a lined baking tray. Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
