Steak and mushroom pie

Babiche Martens

When it comes to pies, I just can't go past a traditional steak filling. Comforting, hot puff pastry filled with succulent tender beef and mushrooms in a tasty sauce - what's not to like? I prefer to use short pastry on the base and bake it blind. This gives your pie a crisper bottom and stops it getting soggy. If using bought pastry, buy sheets, so you can remove what you need and freeze the rest for another occasion.

Ingredients

20 g	Butter
2 Tbsp	Oil
1	Onion, chopped
2 cloves	Garlic, crushed
1 serving	Flour, seasoned, for dusting
800 g	Chuck steaks, cut into 2cm pieces (Main)
2 cups	Beef stock
½ tsp	Mixed herbs
½ cup	Red wine
4 large	Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp	Flour, mixed with 1 Tbsp melted butter for the thickening
1 sheet	Short pastry, savoury
1 sheet	Puff pastry
1	Egg, for glazing

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 180C.
2. Heat half the butter and oil in a medium sized pot. Fry the onions and garlic for 5 minutes until softened.
3. Dust the meat generously with flour and shake off the excess. Heat the remaining butter and oil in a frying pan. Brown the meat in batches then add to the onions. Add a little of the stock to the pan to deglaze then pour into the pot.
4. Add the remaining stock to the meat along with the herbs, red wine and mushrooms. Cook on a low heat for 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Remove ¼ cup of the liquid and add to the thickening, combine then tip back into the pot and stir to thicken. Check the seasoning (add salt and pepper if you wish). Cool the mixture to room temperature.
5. Line a 23cm pie tin with the short pastry and trim the edges. Line with baking paper and rice and bake blind for 15-20 minutes until just cooked. Remove the paper. Fill the pastry with the meat mixture. Dampen the edges, and top with the puff pastry, pressing gently to seal. Use any extra pastry for decoration. Make a few slits in the top with a knife to release steam during baking. Brush the top with egg. Place into the oven for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is risen and golden. Remove and serve hot.