Steak and Ale Pie

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef chuck, in large cubes
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 carrots, in chunks
• 250 g chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 40 g plain flour
• 500 ml dark ale
• 400 ml beef stock
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• a few sprigs of thyme
• 375 g all-butter puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp oil

Method

1. Flour and brown

   Toss the beef in the seasoned flour and brown hard in batches. The flour does double duty — it helps the crust form and thickens the gravy later.

   15 min

2. Soften the vegetables

   Cook the onions, carrots and mushrooms in the same pan until coloured.

   12 min

3. Braise

   Return the beef with the ale, stock, purée, Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Cover and cook at 150°C until the beef is completely tender.

   2 h 30 min

4. Reduce and cool

   If the gravy is loose, reduce it on the hob until it coats a spoon, then cool completely. A wet, warm filling is the difference between a crisp pie and a soggy one.

   1 h

5. Top and bake

   Tip into a pie dish, top with pastry, seal the edges, cut a vent and brush with egg. Bake at 200°C until puffed and deep golden.

   35 min