Steak and Ale Pie

Ingredients

For the casserole

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1kg of diced beef (either braising steak or skirt)
• Beef stock
• A bottle of ale
• Bay leaf
• 1 tsp ground mace
• Cornflour or beef gravy granules to thicken
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the pastry

• 400g plain flour
• 200g chilled butter, cut into cubes
• 1tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 whole egg
• Cold water to bind

Method

• Preheat the oven to 170C or 160C fan.
• Fry the onions, celery and carrots until soft and transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish. Add the beef, stock, bay leaf, ale and mace, plus salt and pepper to taste. Place in the oven and slow braise for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the pastry. Place the flour, salt and mustard powder in a large bowl, combine and add the butter. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the egg and use a knife to work into the flour and butter, then add enough cold water (a little at a time) to bring the mixture together as a pastry ball. Wrap in cling and pop in the fridge for 10 minutes.
• Grease a 10” metal pie dish (I recommend using a tin pie dish rather than a stoneware or glass one to avoid a soggy bottom!). Roll out 2/3 of the pastry and carefully line the pie tin.
• Fill the pie generously with the beef filling, removing the bay leaf.
• Roll out the remaining third of pastry to create a pie lid. Pat the edges of the pastry on the pie dish with a little water and cover the pie with the lid, pressing the pastry together and crimping the edge (either with a fork or your fingers). Eggwash the top of the pie with a beaten egg.
• Place the pie in a preheated oven at 180C and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown.

Serve with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.