National Pasty Week – February 27-March 4, 2025

History of National Pasty Week

We cannot be sure of where and when, exactly, this delicious dish came to be, but do know it has been around since the 1300s. Older cookbooks — “Le Viandier” (circa 1300) and “Le Menagier de Paris” (1393) — contain many recipes for the pasty. The word is of French origin too and comes from the Mediaeval French word ‘paste’ or ‘pasta,’ which refers to a pie containing any ingredients.

The pasty was a common feature in the 16th and 17th centuries, becoming something of a favorite for the Victorian England elite class. Tides had turned by the 19th century, and this dish was now preferred by common families across the U.K., especially in Cornwall. A pastry case filled with veggies was a cheap way to fill stomachs; meat was often avoided as it was too expensive for the common person to afford.

Why the immense popularity in Cornwall? Famous for generations for being a mining town, Cornwall was full of settlers who worked in mines, and they would often take this cheap and easy meal down with them. This all-in-one food stayed warm and fresh for longer and didn’t require miners to climb back up the mine shafts to eat their lunches — important considering miners were paid according to the ground they covered. The less time spent going up mine shafts to eat, the more time they had to work, and could potentially earn more money.

The pasty became the standard fare for miners — called ‘crib’ or ‘croust’ in Cornish — its popularity influenced the ‘D’ shape of the dish too. Food historians think the crisp crust was created so miners could hold on to the pasty with their grubby hands without contaminating the food itself, and toss the leftover crust away.

According to popular tales, the discarded crusts didn’t go to waste — small mischief-making goblins who would otherwise cause trouble for miners, ate this crust as offerings and therefore behaved themselves.

By the mid-1800s, mining had declined in Cornwall, and many families moved to places that provided the work they were accustomed to. Miners — and their pasties — found their way to Australia, South Africa, and even the U.S. Subsequent immigrants picked up the pasty tradition and made it their own.
Now, pasties are made in many parts of the world and have their own versions — the Indian ‘samosa,’ the Chinese ‘shaobing,’ the Spanish ’empanada,’ and the Eastern European ‘pirog.’