Crimping the edge of a pasty (2024)

FAQs

Why does a Cornish pasty have a crimped edge? ›

Pasties were made with a thick crimped edge along one side so the miners could use the crimp as a handle to hold on to while eating. The miners hand would often be covered in arsenic from the mine, so the miners would discard the handle when they were done.

Traditionally Cornish pasties have around 20 crimps. -To crimp the edge of a pasty, push down on the edge of the pasty with your finger and twist the pastry over. When you've crimped along the edge, fold the end corners underneath.

Easiest Way to Crimp a Wire

Put 1/4 inch of the end of the wire into the crimping die, then press the crimper handle and pull away to remove the insulation. Twist the exposed wire together, and insert the wire into the connector until the insulation touches the barrel.

There will always be great debate about the origin of the pasty, but one easy way to detect the Devon pasty from the Cornish is that the Devon pasty has a top-crimp and is oval in shape, whereas the Cornish pasty is semi-circular and side-crimped along the curve.

A bridie or Forfar bridie is a Scottish meat pasty that originates from Forfar, Scotland.

The crimped crust on the side was used as a kind of handle. The levels of arsenic in the tin mines meant that the miners hands would be grubby and likely covered in this highly toxic substance. So the miners would hold onto the crust to eat their pastie, and then discard it.

Use a firm waxy potato such as Maris Peer or Wilja. A floury potato will disintegrate on cooking. Crimping is one of the secrets to a true Cornish pasty. A good hand crimp is usually a sign of a good handmade pasty.

The Cornish pasty has been given protected status by the European Commission so no matter where it is made in order to be called a Cornish pasty it has to contain beef, onion, swede and salt and pepper and be crimped along the side not along the top.

Rather than popping the pasty onto a plate and tucking in with a knife and fork, the pasty should be simply eaten directly from the bag, as it was invented to be a meal to enjoy quickly on the go without the need for utensils.

You can brush an egg-wash glaze (1 egg plus 1 tsp. water) over the Puff Pastry to create a rich, golden sheen when baked. Use an egg wash to help seal filled pastries and connect Puff Pastry pieces: mix 1 egg plus 1 tsp. water, brush between layers, then pinch or press together.

Can you put two sheets of puff pastry together? ›

For a crisp, layered puff pastry base, I layer two sheets together and bake with another baking sheet on top to weight the pastry and keep it flat for half the cooking time. Then remove so it becomes golden.

Crimping the edges is great for pies that have a top crust and a juicy filling, such as blueberry pie. It's also how we seal the edges of hand pies, like these chocolate hand pies and apple hand pies.

Can I use pastry in my CRIMPiT? Yes, absolutely. We have customers making all sorts of creations including delicious pies. If using pastry please use the air fryer or oven for heating.