The Pasty

Those responsible for bringing the pasty (sometimes called the Cousin Jack) Into the Lake Superior

Region during the middle 1800s were the Cornish Miners or other wise known as " Cousin Jacks". Back in Cornwall the wives baked the pasties in the morning,rolled them in their aprons and hurried down to the mine shafts. The men gathered under the trees at the noon hour,

received a sizzling hot meal in the only possible manner it could be supplied.

When these sturdy miners came to Michigan the pasty came too,not only for the Cornishmen,but for the Scandinavians Italians,Finns and other nationalities that followed these hardy breed of pioneers down the mine shafts. It didn't take long for others to realize that cold sandwiches did not compare with the steaming,succulent contents of the "Cousin Jack".

The pasty consists of a tasty,economical meal of roast beef,onions,carrots potatoes,and rutabaga,seasoned and nicely wrapped in a delicious crust and baked.

I had my first taste at my grandmothers. She made them the traditional  way they did back in Cornwall.

As time went on and our family grew,making an individual pasty for each person became quite a process,so my grandmother began making them in a pie plate,a tradition my mother carried on as have I. She could make two pies that would serve eight people in half the time.The only other change that I have made is I don't add rutabaga.

Beef Pasty

1 lb roast beef it I to cubes

1 smal onion chopped

2 potatoes cut into small cubes

2 large carrots sliced

Rutabaga cut in chunks

Pie crust I use ready made but you can make it from scratch if you want

Place all the ingredients in a bowl add salt and pepper and mix

Line the pie plate with one of the pie crusts 

Add the beef mixture

Top with other pie crust

Cut a few vents in top 

Bake at 350 for about an hour

We are having one for dinner tonight.