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Knepp Beef & Ale Pie
Ingredients
Ingredients
Serves 4 (four individual pies, roughly 12cm across)
For the pastry
500g plain flour
10g salt
250g cold butter, diced
2 eggs, beaten
30ml ice-cold water
1 extra egg, beaten, for glazing
For the filling
500g diced beef
500ml brown beef stock
1/2 bottle ale
75ml tomato purée
2 carrots, diced
2 onions, diced
1 leek, diced
1 bay leaf
50g butter
25g plain flour
Salt
Oil for browning beef
The cattle are still out roaming the Wildland among the turning oaks, but at the Wilding Kitchen our Friday evenings have moved indoors, by the fire.
This month's recipe from Head Chef Alex Dome is beef & ale pie: longhorn beef braised slowly until it falls apart, tucked into a buttery shortcrust case.
It’s not a quick recipe, but rewards the extra time. Make the filling the day before, so all that's left is to assemble and bake. The braising beef you’ll need is in stock now.
Method
The Filling
Brown the beef in small batches in a hot pan. Return it all to the pan with the stock, tomato purée, bay leaf and the ale, then simmer uncovered for about an hour and a half until tender and the liquid has reduced. Meanwhile, soften the carrots, onions and leek in butter, stir in the flour, then combine with the beef and its gravy. Chill overnight. A cold filling keeps the pastry crisp.
The Pastry
Rub cold butter into flour and salt (working quickly and lightly), bind with beaten egg and ice-cold water into a ball, wrap and rest it in the fridge for an hour.
Assemble and bake
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Line four pie tins with the pastry, fill, seal with pastry lids, brush with egg and cut a small hole in each lid to let the steam out. Bake at 180°C fan for about 35 minutes, until deep golden.
Serve with buttery greens or creamy mash.
