Most epic beef & ale pie

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 2 30

Total Time: 2 45

Servings people

Appliance/Function:

Bring a jug of water to a boil. Defrost 4 sheets flaky puff pastry. Spray the baking dish with spray oil spray.

Place 20 g porcini mushrooms in a heatproof bowl with 310 ml of boiling water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Strain the porcini and reserve the liquid. Roughly chop the porcini (if using).

Dice 1 kg chuck beef into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-based pot. Add half 300 ml dark alef the beef and sear, then remove and repeat with the remaining beef. Set beef aside and reserve the pot.

Peel and finely dice 1 carrot and dice the other carrots into larger 1.5 cm chunks. Peel and finely dice 1 brown onion. Peel and mince 2 cloves garlic. Finely slice 1 stalk celery. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the reserved pot of medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the finely diced carrot and celery, and cook for 6 minutes or until softened. Then add the larger carrot chunks and cook for 2 minutes.

Add ⅓ cup flour and stir through. Then add 300 ml dark ale and 2 cups beef stock and stir to dissolve the flour. Add 3 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves, the reserved porcini liquid, porcini (if using) and cooked beef. Turn the heat up and bring to a simmer, then cover. Adjust heat to a slow and gentle simmer. Cook for 1 hr 45 minutes or until beef is tender.

Meanwhile, dice 200 g bacon. Heat a medium-sized frypan over high heat. Cook the bacon until golden, then add bacon and 1 cup frozen peas to the beef stew and gently stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes then remove from heat and cool.

Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Line the prepared baking dish with half of the pastry sheets. Separate 1 egg yolk into a bowl. When the filling is done cooling, pour the stew into the baking dish, and even out the surface. Top with the remaining sheets of pastry, and brush with egg yolk. Cut a few slits in the surface then bake for 30-35 minutes, until deep golden and the pastry is cooked through.