STEAK AND ALE PIE

This tasty steak and ale pie is made using a rich butter and suet pastry. Recipe supplied by Debbie Wright.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1kg trimmed Flank or shin of beef
3 tbsp plain flour
1 medium sized onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 tsp tomato puree
200ml dark ale
1.5L beef stock
1 tsp chopped thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
12 baby onions, roasted in butter
12 baby mushrooms
120g pancetta, cut into lardons (batons)

For the pastry:
225g self raising flour
1 tsp salt
85g shredded beef suet
60g butter, chilled and coarsely grated
2 egg yolks, beaten for glaze
1 tbsp of picked thyme leaves

Method:
1. Cut the meat into roughly 3cm sized cubes, season half of the flour with salt and pepper and use to dust the meat. Heat the oil, and then fry the meat in 2-3 batches until golden brown, set aside.

2. Add a large knob of butter to a large pan. Fry the onion, pancetta and garlic for a couple of minutes until golden brown, add the thyme and bay leaf then the remaining flour and tomato puree. Stir over a low heat for 2 minutes, then add the ale and hot beef stock, stirring so as not to have any lumps.

3. Add the beef and bring up to a simmer, cover then cook for approximately 2 hours until the meat is tender. After 1 ½ hours of cooking add the button mushroom and onions, then continue for the remaining 30 minutes.

To make the pastry:

1. Mix the flour, thyme leaves, salt, suet and butter together in a large bowl, make a well in the centre, mix enough water (approximately 150ml) to form a smooth dough, and knead for a minute.

2. Spoon the cooled beef filling into a pie dishes to 1cm from the rim, add the baby onions approximately 4 per person.

3. Roll out the pastry to 1cm thickness and approximately 2cm larger than the pie dish, brush the edges with egg yolks. Lay the pastry over the filling and squeeze the edges onto the dish to secure in place. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

4. Egg wash the top of the pie, allow to set then egg wash again, place into a pre heated oven (200C) for 40-50 minutes (for a large one)