Hand pie vs pasty vs turnover
All three are sealed, single-portion pastries; the differences are shape, seal, and tradition. A pasty is the Cornish original with a thick side crimp, a turnover is any pastry folded once over its filling, and hand pie is the umbrella term American English uses for the whole family.
By the chickenpie.net test kitchen · Published 7 July 2026
Side by side
| Pasty | Turnover | Hand pie | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | D-shaped, side or top crimp | Half-moon or triangle | Any sealed single portion |
| Pastry | Sturdy shortcrust | Often puff | Usually shortcrust |
| Filling | Traditionally raw, cooks inside | Cooked, often sweet | Cooked |
| Origin | Cornwall, miners' lunch | Broad European | American umbrella term |
The detail that separates the pasty
A true Cornish pasty is filled raw: beef, potato, swede, and onion cook inside the pastry, which is why it is dense, juicy, and legally protected as a name in the UK. Nearly everything else in the family, including a curried chicken hand pie, fills the pastry with an already-cooked mixture and just bakes to seal and brown.
Which to make
- Lunchboxes and freezers: shortcrust hand pies, sturdy and sealed
- Fast and flaky from bought pastry: puff turnovers
- A project with history attached: the crimped pasty