Cornish Pasty Dinner Size: The Proper Hand-Held Supper

In a large bowl, rub the cold butter and lard into the flour and salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the ice-cold water a little at a time, stirring with a knife, until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork it or the pastry will be tough.

Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling. Chilling relaxes the gluten and makes the pastry easier to roll and crimp.

Cut the beef skirt into roughly 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes, trimming any stubborn gristle. Peel and dice the potato, swede and onion into similar-sized pieces, about 1 cm (1/2 inch). Keep them separate.

In a bowl, combine the beef, potato, swede and onion. Season generously with salt and the black pepper, then toss to mix. The seasoning is the making of a pasty, so be bold but taste with your instincts.

Cut the chilled pastry into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a round about 20 cm (8 inches) across, roughly 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick. Keep the remaining pastry covered as you work.

Divide the filling between the pastry rounds, piling it along one half of each round and leaving a 2 cm (3/4 inch) border. Dot each pile with a little butter. Brush the border with beaten egg.

Fold the pastry over the filling to meet the opposite edge. Press the edges together, then crimp by folding the edge over itself in small, neat twists along the top. A proper rope crimp is as much a signature as it is a seal.

Place the pasties on a baking tray lined with parchment. Brush all over with beaten egg. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F) and bake for a further 35 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the filling is piping hot.

Let the pasties rest for 5 to 10 minutes before eating. They are excellent hot, but many Cornish folk insist they are even better warm or at room temperature, when the flavours have settled.