Serves 4

Click here for method

Ingredients

For the Shortcrust Pastry:

• 500g plain flour
• 150g cold water
• 250g Butter
• Pinch of salt

For the Filling:

• 500g diced beef (we often use shin however it takes a bit longer)
• 2 ribs of celery, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• A handful of flour
• 3/4 of a pint of ale
• A ladle of homemade or good quality stock, a stock cube or a ready-made Demi-Glace cube
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Thyme
• Salt and Pepper
• Good quality rapeseed oil
• 1 egg for egg yolk and a drop of milk mixed together for egg wash (not vital but adds a nice shine)

Method

Rub butter into flour, add pinch of salt. Add the water and create a smooth dough. (The easiest way would be in a Kitchen aid or tabletop mixer)

Set aside cling filmed in the fridge for 30 mins

Gently fry the diced vegetables and garlic until translucent.

Add beef and increase the heat. Brown off the meat, add salt and pepper.

Add flour by tablespoons, just enough to cover the meat and not too much. (You're wanting the flour to cling to the meat lightly).

Add the beer, let it come up to simmer, stir and add the stock or alternative and thyme.

Add a couple of tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.

Transfer into an oven suitable container and cook until soft.

Start with 1.5hrs at 160°C.

Check if it is soft, if not give it 30 minutes intervals until it's done.

Take pie mix out, check for seasoning, let cool down. it needs to be fairly cold so the pastry doesn't melt or shrink when it comes contact with the hit pie mix.

Line a pie dish or individual pie dishes with butter or oil spray.

If using a large tin roll 3/4 of the pastry to half a cm thickness and line the tin.

Fill with pie mix and roll the rest of the pastry over the top.

Cut a steam hole in the middle or insert a pie steam funnel.

Brush the egg wash on top and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden on top and pastry cooked on bottom at 180°C.