A pastie ( /ˈpæstiː/) is a large to medium sized round battered pie common to Northern Ireland. It is a peculiarity of Northern Irish cuisine and is rarely if ever seen outside the area. Generally served with chips to form a "pastie supper" ("supper" in Northern Irish chip shops meaning something with chips), or in a bap as a "pastie bap", it is a common staple in most chip shops in the country.
Recipes vary, but the most common ingredients are minced pork, onion, potato and seasoning formed into a 'round' (just like a burger) which is then covered in a batter mix and deep fried.[1] Traditionally, chip shops coloured the pastie's filling with a Cochineal dye, giving it a bright pink colour, supposedly to make the snack more appetising. Many shops have now stopped using this method due to issues with Cochineal.
There is common confusion with the name, with many visitors mistaking it for the English Cornish pasty.[2]
The most famous mention of the pastie in popular culture is in Van Morrison's title track from his A Sense of Wonder album with the line of "pastie suppers down at Davey's chipper".