Meat mains
Pasty pie
This hearty pie is a lot simpler and quicker to make than individual pasties but is just as comforting for dinner on a chilly evening. The exact veg is not important – if you've not got swede in your veg box, use carrots, or even sweet potatoes instead. Goes well with a green salad to balance out the richness of the pastry.
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 500-600g stewing steak (e.g. chuck or skirt), cut in 1.5cm cubes
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 beef stock cubes
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 potato, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
- ½ swede, peeled and cut in 1cm dice
- 400g shortcrust pastry (puff is not authentic but works well too)
- 1 egg, beaten (you will only need a little)
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Have a large casserole dish ready. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and brown the steak pieces in batches, adding more oil as needed. Transfer each batch to the casserole dish once coloured.
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Step 2
In the same frying pan cook the onion for a few minutes and add to the meat. Crumble in the stock cubes, add the thyme and enough water until the meat is just covered.
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Step 3
Bring to the boil and simmer gently, with the pan partially covered, for about 40-50 minutes until the meat is tender. If at this point the mix is watery remove the lid and boil rapidly until it has a thin stewy consistency.
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Step 4
If it looks dry, add a little more water. Add the potatoes and swede and simmer for a further 7-8 minutes and season.
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Step 5
Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Transfer the mix to a pie dish or other ovenproof dish. Choose one so that the filling is roughly level with the rim of the dish, though a bit higher or lower won't matter. Brush a little water over the rim of the pie dish. Roll out the pastry to roughly 3-4 mm thickness and place over the pie. Press the pastry onto the rim of the pie dish, using a fork if you like.
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Step 6
Leave about 2cm pastry hanging over the edge all the way round, or a bit more if using puff pastry, and trim off the rest. Brush the pastry lid with beaten egg and make several slashes using a knife to allow steam to escape.
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Step 7
Bake for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 180°C/Gas 4. Cook for another 30-40 minutes until pastry is cooked and golden and the filling is bubbling. You can carefully shave off any overhanging pastry with a serrated knife before serving, or just leave as it is.
