Before I went to school in Michigan, I was unaware that the mitten shaped state has a region with its own culture, identity and foods. Even their language is different.
The state of Michigan is broken up into two peninsulas: the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. They are connected by the Mackinac Bridge.
The people that live in the Upper Peninsula are called “Yoopers” and are proud of it.
The UP of Michigan has a vast and interesting cultural history. This area is a huge melting pot of people descended from Finns, Swedes, Irish, Poles, Germans, Scots, Italians and French. All of these cultures brought their own foods with them and have mixed them to create some interesting cuisine.
In this area, there is one food delicacy that has gone from ethnic to regional. This is a food called a pasty. Pronounced pass-tee, it is a simple food that can be described as a pot pie without the pot. It is a smaller, more portable meat pie.
The pasty started life as a working lunch for tin miners to take underground with them.
The tradition of the pasty was brought to the Upper Peninsula by immigrants from Cornwall, England. These men came there to work in the copper and iron mines. The pasty was easy to carry and could be eaten even with dirty fingers.
The miners would reheat the pasties on shovels held over the candles worn on their hats.
Pasties are about the size of both your fists and are a complete meal of beef, carrots, potatoes, rutabagas and other types of vegetables wrapped in a pastry shell. These are commonly eaten with ketchup and can sustain a person for most of a day. They are a true comfort food that has its roots in practicality.
The identifying feature of the original Cornish pasty was really the pastry and its crimping. When pasties were being made, each member of the family had their initials marked at one corner. This way each person's favorite tastes could be catered to and identified.
The solid ridge of pastry, hand-crimped along the top of the pasty, was designed so that the miner or traveler could grasp the pasty for eating and then throw the crust away. By doing this, he did not run the risk of germs and contamination from dirty hands. The early Cornish tin mines had large amounts of arsenic. By not eating the corner which the miners held; they kept themselves from consuming large amounts of arsenic.
One end of the pasty would usually contain a sweet filling which the wives would mark or initial so the miner wouldn't eat his dessert first, while the other end would contain meat and vegetables. The true Cornish way to eat a pasty is to hold it in your hands and begin to eat it from the top down to the opposite end of the initialed part.
That way its rightful owner could consume any left over portion later.
Irish people that migrated to northern England took the art of pasty making with them. Soon every miner in northern England took pasties down into the mine for his noon lunch. Pasties were also called oggies by the miners of Cornwell, England. English sailors even took pasty making as far as the shores of Russia where they were known as piraski or piragies.
Most cultures have a similar food. There are Spanish empanadas, Italian calzones and Indian samosas to name a few. These items were created for convenience and portability. They were practical, tasty and nutritious.
Today, in the United States pasties are linked to The Upper Peninsula of Michigan as its primary regional food. Anyone who has been there or plans to visit must try one. They are also available on the Internet and in some regional restaurants.
I have included a recipe for the original Cornish pasty and one for a vegetarian version. The Cornish pasty recipe comes from Kim Miller of Newberg, Ore. a native of Traverse City, Mich.
She says that she does not know which family member this recipe originally came from, but that it has been passed down and shared by three generations of women in her family since the late 1930s. Enjoy.
This column has been a collaborative effort between Auburn natives chef Max Hitchcock and his mother, Susan Silverman. They can be reached at Birdscapes@adelphia.net
Cornish Pasty
Makes 6 pasties
Pasty Crust (recipe follows)
1 beef bouillon cube
1/2 cup hot water
5 1/2 cups diced potatoes
2 medium carrots, shredded
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 cup finely diced rutabaga*
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Tomato ketchup
* Turnips may be substituted.
Make Pasty Crust. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, dissolve beef bouillon cube in hot water. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, rutabaga, ground beef, ground pork, pepper and salt; gently stir until well mixed.
Place 1 1/2 cups of vegetable filling in the center of each rolled dough rectangle; bring short (6-inch) sides together and seal by crimping edges together.
Make 3 or 4 small slits in the top of the pasty to allow steam to escape during cooking.
Place pasties onto a large ungreased baking sheet. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown; remove from oven.
Can be served warm, but real Michiganites eat their pasties cold with tomato ketchup. They make a great sack lunch and freeze well.
Pasty crust:
4 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup solid vegetable shortening or lard
1 1/3 cups chilled water
In a large bowl, sift together flour and salt.
With a pastry blender or two knives, cut vegetable shortening into flour mixture until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, a little at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry dough almost cleans side of bowl.
Form dough into a ball and cut dough into six sections.
On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out each section into 6 by 8-inch rectangles.
Fill and bake as directed in recipe.
Veggie Pasty
The Crust:
2 cups flour
2/3 cups butter (or Crisco)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
The Filling:
2 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup sweet potatoes, finely diced
1/2 tablespoon of oil or butter
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup mushrooms diced and cooked (about 3/4 cups uncooked)
1 1/2 cups broccoli, diced
1 small onion (1/2 cup chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon season salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 a package)
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of milk for moistening and sealing crust
Crust:
Cut butter into flour and salt until it forms pea-size lumps. Add cold water and knead until well blended. Form into four balls and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Roll in to 8-inch circle. Use plenty of flour while rolling out.
Filling:
In a tablespoon of oil or butter saute garlic and mushrooms. Cook mushrooms until soft and half the moisture is gone.
Mix diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, cooked mushrooms,
broccoli, onion, salt, season salt, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl.
Construction:
Put 1 1/2 cups of filling on half of the pasty crust. Cut cream cheese block into quarters then cut each quarter into four or five piece and scatter on top of the filling pile. Add a tablespoon or two shredded cheddar cheese to top of filling.
Moisten the edges with milk or water, fold over and pinch to seal. Brush outside lightly with milk. Cut three or four slits on top to vent steam.
Put on a lightly-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour or until crust is golden brown. Serve with catsup on the side.
Quick Chicken Pot Pie
Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken (from rotisserie chicken)
1/2 cup prepared chicken or turkey gravy
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Half of a 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed
(1 sheet)
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat four 8-ounce ramekins with cooking spray, then arrange them on rimmed baking sheet.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onion, garlic and pepper flakes. Saute until just tender, about 4 minutes. Add the carrots and peas and saute another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the peas are thawed.
Add the chicken and saute until just heated through, about 3 minutes.
Add the gravy and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the mixture into the prepared ramekins.
Unfold the puff pastry and use a round cookie or biscuit
cutter just larger than the diameter of the ramekins to cut
out four rounds of the puff pastry. Top each ramekin with a round of dough, then brush the pastry with the egg.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pastry is lightly browned and puffed.
Croquettes
Makes 4 servings
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups finely minced cooked turkey
3 green onions, finely chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chives, marjoram or mint or a combination
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Flour for dredging
1 beaten egg
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1 quart or more canola oil for deep-frying
Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook gently over low heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Off heat, pour in the chicken broth and whisk vigorously. Return the sauce to medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, stirring constantly to eliminate any lumps and cook gently, about 5 minutes. Stir in the turkey, green onions, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and let cool, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Shape the cold meat mixture into four croquettes (roughly 4-inch cylinders flattened at the ends); roll them first in flour, then in egg, and finally in bread crumbs, making sure that they are coated all over. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
In a large, deep pot, heat the oil until a thermometer inserted reads 360 degrees, or until a crumb of bread dropped in the oil sizzles immediately but doesn't turn dark quickly, and lower the croquettes, one or two at a time, into the hot fat. After about 2 minutes, when browned on the bottom, turn them and fry for 1 or 2 minutes more. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve, but they are best eaten right away.
The people that live in the Upper Peninsula are called “Yoopers” and are proud of it.
The UP of Michigan has a vast and interesting cultural history. This area is a huge melting pot of people descended from Finns, Swedes, Irish, Poles, Germans, Scots, Italians and French. All of these cultures brought their own foods with them and have mixed them to create some interesting cuisine.
In this area, there is one food delicacy that has gone from ethnic to regional. This is a food called a pasty. Pronounced pass-tee, it is a simple food that can be described as a pot pie without the pot. It is a smaller, more portable meat pie.
The pasty started life as a working lunch for tin miners to take underground with them.
The tradition of the pasty was brought to the Upper Peninsula by immigrants from Cornwall, England. These men came there to work in the copper and iron mines. The pasty was easy to carry and could be eaten even with dirty fingers.
The miners would reheat the pasties on shovels held over the candles worn on their hats.
Pasties are about the size of both your fists and are a complete meal of beef, carrots, potatoes, rutabagas and other types of vegetables wrapped in a pastry shell. These are commonly eaten with ketchup and can sustain a person for most of a day. They are a true comfort food that has its roots in practicality.
The identifying feature of the original Cornish pasty was really the pastry and its crimping. When pasties were being made, each member of the family had their initials marked at one corner. This way each person's favorite tastes could be catered to and identified.
The solid ridge of pastry, hand-crimped along the top of the pasty, was designed so that the miner or traveler could grasp the pasty for eating and then throw the crust away. By doing this, he did not run the risk of germs and contamination from dirty hands. The early Cornish tin mines had large amounts of arsenic. By not eating the corner which the miners held; they kept themselves from consuming large amounts of arsenic.
One end of the pasty would usually contain a sweet filling which the wives would mark or initial so the miner wouldn't eat his dessert first, while the other end would contain meat and vegetables. The true Cornish way to eat a pasty is to hold it in your hands and begin to eat it from the top down to the opposite end of the initialed part.
That way its rightful owner could consume any left over portion later.
Irish people that migrated to northern England took the art of pasty making with them. Soon every miner in northern England took pasties down into the mine for his noon lunch. Pasties were also called oggies by the miners of Cornwell, England. English sailors even took pasty making as far as the shores of Russia where they were known as piraski or piragies.
Most cultures have a similar food. There are Spanish empanadas, Italian calzones and Indian samosas to name a few. These items were created for convenience and portability. They were practical, tasty and nutritious.
Today, in the United States pasties are linked to The Upper Peninsula of Michigan as its primary regional food. Anyone who has been there or plans to visit must try one. They are also available on the Internet and in some regional restaurants.
I have included a recipe for the original Cornish pasty and one for a vegetarian version. The Cornish pasty recipe comes from Kim Miller of Newberg, Ore. a native of Traverse City, Mich.
She says that she does not know which family member this recipe originally came from, but that it has been passed down and shared by three generations of women in her family since the late 1930s. Enjoy.
This column has been a collaborative effort between Auburn natives chef Max Hitchcock and his mother, Susan Silverman. They can be reached at Birdscapes@adelphia.net
Cornish Pasty
Makes 6 pasties
Pasty Crust (recipe follows)
1 beef bouillon cube
1/2 cup hot water
5 1/2 cups diced potatoes
2 medium carrots, shredded
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 cup finely diced rutabaga*
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Tomato ketchup
* Turnips may be substituted.
Make Pasty Crust. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, dissolve beef bouillon cube in hot water. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, rutabaga, ground beef, ground pork, pepper and salt; gently stir until well mixed.
Place 1 1/2 cups of vegetable filling in the center of each rolled dough rectangle; bring short (6-inch) sides together and seal by crimping edges together.
Make 3 or 4 small slits in the top of the pasty to allow steam to escape during cooking.
Place pasties onto a large ungreased baking sheet. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown; remove from oven.
Can be served warm, but real Michiganites eat their pasties cold with tomato ketchup. They make a great sack lunch and freeze well.
Pasty crust:
4 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup solid vegetable shortening or lard
1 1/3 cups chilled water
In a large bowl, sift together flour and salt.
With a pastry blender or two knives, cut vegetable shortening into flour mixture until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, a little at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry dough almost cleans side of bowl.
Form dough into a ball and cut dough into six sections.
On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out each section into 6 by 8-inch rectangles.
Fill and bake as directed in recipe.
Veggie Pasty
The Crust:
2 cups flour
2/3 cups butter (or Crisco)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
The Filling:
2 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup sweet potatoes, finely diced
1/2 tablespoon of oil or butter
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup mushrooms diced and cooked (about 3/4 cups uncooked)
1 1/2 cups broccoli, diced
1 small onion (1/2 cup chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon season salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 a package)
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of milk for moistening and sealing crust
Crust:
Cut butter into flour and salt until it forms pea-size lumps. Add cold water and knead until well blended. Form into four balls and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Roll in to 8-inch circle. Use plenty of flour while rolling out.
Filling:
In a tablespoon of oil or butter saute garlic and mushrooms. Cook mushrooms until soft and half the moisture is gone.
Mix diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, cooked mushrooms,
broccoli, onion, salt, season salt, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl.
Construction:
Put 1 1/2 cups of filling on half of the pasty crust. Cut cream cheese block into quarters then cut each quarter into four or five piece and scatter on top of the filling pile. Add a tablespoon or two shredded cheddar cheese to top of filling.
Moisten the edges with milk or water, fold over and pinch to seal. Brush outside lightly with milk. Cut three or four slits on top to vent steam.
Put on a lightly-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour or until crust is golden brown. Serve with catsup on the side.
Quick Chicken Pot Pie
Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken (from rotisserie chicken)
1/2 cup prepared chicken or turkey gravy
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Half of a 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed
(1 sheet)
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat four 8-ounce ramekins with cooking spray, then arrange them on rimmed baking sheet.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onion, garlic and pepper flakes. Saute until just tender, about 4 minutes. Add the carrots and peas and saute another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the peas are thawed.
Add the chicken and saute until just heated through, about 3 minutes.
Add the gravy and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the mixture into the prepared ramekins.
Unfold the puff pastry and use a round cookie or biscuit
cutter just larger than the diameter of the ramekins to cut
out four rounds of the puff pastry. Top each ramekin with a round of dough, then brush the pastry with the egg.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pastry is lightly browned and puffed.
Croquettes
Makes 4 servings
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups finely minced cooked turkey
3 green onions, finely chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chives, marjoram or mint or a combination
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Flour for dredging
1 beaten egg
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1 quart or more canola oil for deep-frying
Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook gently over low heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Off heat, pour in the chicken broth and whisk vigorously. Return the sauce to medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, stirring constantly to eliminate any lumps and cook gently, about 5 minutes. Stir in the turkey, green onions, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and let cool, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Shape the cold meat mixture into four croquettes (roughly 4-inch cylinders flattened at the ends); roll them first in flour, then in egg, and finally in bread crumbs, making sure that they are coated all over. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
In a large, deep pot, heat the oil until a thermometer inserted reads 360 degrees, or until a crumb of bread dropped in the oil sizzles immediately but doesn't turn dark quickly, and lower the croquettes, one or two at a time, into the hot fat. After about 2 minutes, when browned on the bottom, turn them and fry for 1 or 2 minutes more. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve, but they are best eaten right away.
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Farmer's Gal wrote on Dec 5, 2007 2:30 PM: