Pasty Filling
Pasty filling is the savory mixture traditionally encased in a sturdy, crimped pastry to make the Cornish pasty, a handheld pie originating from Cornwall, England. The classic filling features diced beef (often skirt steak), potato, swede (rutabaga), and onion, seasoned simply with salt and pepper. It was historically a convenient, all-in-one meal for Cornish tin miners.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
A typical pasty is a calorie-dense, balanced meal, providing a good mix of carbohydrates from the pastry and vegetables, protein from the beef, and fat from the meat and pastry. A standard-sized pasty can range from 600 to 900 calories, offering significant energy, iron, and B vitamins.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 280 kcal |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbs | 28 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 550 mg |
| Potassium | 400 mg |
| Iron | 2.5 mg |
| Vitamin A | 150 mcg RAE |
| Vitamin C | 8 mg |
| Calcium | 60 mg |
| Phosphorus | 180 mg |
| Zinc | 2.0 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 4.0 mg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
The pasty's unique crimped edge was traditionally discarded by miners, as it served as a handle to hold with dirty, potentially arsenic-laden hands, making it an early form of safe, portable fast food. Its simple, hearty ingredients were designed to sustain heavy labor, making it a nutritional powerhouse of its era.
