Calum says: “This is a pie for wintry times when the roadways are blocked and you are snowed in. It is prosperous, decadent and ideal followed by a nap on the sofa.”

Serves 4–6

Components

  • 300g tough puff pastry (or shop-acquired puff pastry)
  • 1 egg yolk crushed with 1 teaspoon h2o, for brushing

For the filling:

  • 600g beef chuck steak, lower into 4cm dice
  • 100g plain flour
  • 40ml vegetable oil
  • 4 Spanish onions, peeled and halved but with the roots still left on
  • 400g chestnut mushrooms, halved
  • 1 tsp desk salt
  • 300ml pink wine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 2 litres beef inventory
  • 100g stilton cheese, damaged into 2cm nuggets
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

You will also will need

pie dish (25cm lengthy and 5cm deep)

Approach

Preheat the oven to 220°C admirer/240°C/fuel mark 9.

To get ready the filling, set the beef in a roasting tray, dust with the flour and toss the beef till all the flour has been absorbed by the meat. Add 20ml of the vegetable oil to the tray and toss properly to make absolutely sure the meat is evenly coated. Place the tray in to the preheated oven and roast the beef for 20 minutes right up until browned and any juices unveiled through cooking have evaporated.

When the beef is roasting, slice each and every onion fifty percent into six wedges via the root to leave petals. Place a substantial frying pan above a medium warmth, increase the remaining 20ml of vegetable oil and warm for 1 moment. Insert the onions to the pan and prepare dinner, stirring often with a picket spoon right up until the onions have began to brown.

Increase the mushrooms to the pan with 50 percent the salt and continue on to cook for a even further 3 minutes right until the mushrooms have just softened. Future, incorporate the purple wine, bay leaves and thyme and carry to a simmer.

Immediately after 20 minutes, take out the beef from the oven and test it is properly browned. If not, return it to the oven for a even further 5 minutes.

When the beef is completely ready, idea the onions, mushrooms, herbs and purple wine into the roasting tray around the top of the meat. Place the frying pan again on the warmth and pour in the beef inventory – half at a time, if necessary – and bring to a simmer. Incorporate to the tray with all the other pie filling components.

At this stage, choose the time to make positive the beef is not stuck to the bottom of the roasting tray: applying a wooden spoon, dislodge any caramelised chunks of meat. Functioning meticulously as the tray is scorching, tightly protect the best of the tray with aluminium foil.

Return the tray to the oven and go on to cook dinner at 220°C fan/240°C/gasoline mark 9 for 10 minutes, then minimize the temperature to 160°C supporter/180°C/fuel mark 4 and established a timer for 1¾ hrs.

Even though the filling is braising, get ready the pastry. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. On a frivolously floured area, roll out the pastry to a 5mm thick circle significant enough to protect the pie dish. Slide the rolled-out pastry on to the lined tray and chill in the refrigerator for at the very least 25 minutes. Set aside any pastry trimmings for decoration.

After the beef has been braising for 1¾ hrs, remove the tray from the oven and, employing a dish towel to safeguard your fingers, diligently peel back again a corner of the foil. Spoon out one chunk of beef and examine to make positive it is tender. It is Okay if the beef has a small bite left in it, but it should not be chewy. If required, pop the tray back in the oven for a additional 15 minutes and examine again.

When the beef is completely ready, thoroughly get rid of all the foil from the roasting tray. Location a colander in excess of a big bowl and suggestion in the filling. Let the mixture pressure for a few of minutes, then place the contents of the colander again into the tray and spread close to to neat down.

Transfer the strained liquid from the bowl to a big saucepan, provide to a simmer above a medium warmth and cook dinner until finally thick sufficient to coat the back of a spoon. Period with the pepper and the remaining salt, introducing a minor at a time, stirring and tasting until eventually it has the correct level of seasoning.

Pour the decreased liquid more than the combination in the tray and established apart to awesome to area temperature, stirring often to pace up the system. After the combination is amazing, transfer the filling to the pie dish and amount the area. Nudge the nuggets of stilton into the filling, distributing them evenly across the floor but avoiding the sides.

Improve the oven temperature to 200°C supporter/220°C/gasoline mark 7.

Brush the rim of the pie dish with the egg wash, brushing about 2.5cm down the sides of the dish. Lay the pastry circle centrally across the top rated of the dish, letting it to rest frivolously on top of the filling. (The pastry lid need to not be taut as it could droop in the course of cooking and tear.)

Press firmly down on the pastry against the egg-brushed rim of the dish to seal all the way round. Flippantly brush the pie lid with much more egg clean and embellish nonetheless you favor making use of the reserved pastry trimming and then brush that with egg clean. Return the pie to the fridge and chill for a even more 20 minutes.

Spot the dish on a rack in the centre of the preheated oven and bake the pie for 25 minutes or until finally the pastry is golden brown and the core temperature of the filling has attained at least 70°C on a digital probe thermometer.

Alternatively, poke the suggestion of a knife as a result of the pie into the center of the filling and leave it there for a few seconds – it should be very hot to the contact. Midway by way of the cooking time, turn the dish around in the oven to make sure an even bake. Provide the pie only with some boiled new potatoes and sluggish-roasted carrots.

From The Pie Area: 80 Achievable And Show-Halting Pies And Sides For Pie Fans Everywhere by Calum Franklin (£26, Bloomsbury Absolute), out now