The Cornish Pasty Association affirmed that there is only one way you can make a Cornish pasty. Firstly, there must be "no meat other than beef" in the pasty and there is a requirement for specific vegetables. These include onions, swede, and potato, but many people might use the wrong type of swede.

The pasty experts explained: "The vegetable to use is the yellow-fleshed swede, not a white turnip. This is commonly known in Cornwall as the turnip." They elaborated: "It’s also known as the yellow turnip or Swedish turnip in some places, and in North America, it is called rutabaga."

As for the potato, the Maris Peer potato is highly recommended by the food experts, as is beef skirt (i.e. the meat cut known as plate).

Cornish pasty recipe

Ingredients

For shortcrust pastry:

• 500g strong bread flour
• 120g lard or white shortening
• 125g butter
• One tsp salt
• 175ml cold water

For the filling:

• 400g beef skirt, cut into cubes
• 300g potato, peeled and diced
• 150g swede, peeled and diced
• 150g onion, peeled and sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste (2:1 ratio)
• Beaten egg or milk to glaze

Method

Add salt to the flour in a large bow, rub in the butter and lard, then add water and knead until elastic. Next, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for three hours. Afterwards, roll out the dough and cut into 20cm circles.

Now layer the beef skinny and vegetables in the dough, season, and pull the dough across, fold, and crimp the edges. Glaze with beaten egg (or milk) and bake in the oven at 165C (fan) for 55 minutes.

As for a true Cornish pasty sold in stores, only those made west of the Tamar River in Cornwall are considered to be authentic.