Steak Mushroom Shortcut Pastry Pie Recipes

Steps:

• If you're using the porcini mushrooms, cover 10g of mushrooms in boiling water for 20 mins, then squeeze out but keep the soaking water.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large casserole dish, brown 1kg large chunks of braising steak really well in batches, then set aside.
• Add 2 large onions, roughly chopped, and 4 large carrots, chopped into large chunks, to the pan. Add a drizzle more vegetable oil, then cook on a low heat for 5 mins until coloured.
• Add the soaked porcini mushrooms, sizzle for 1 min more, then scatter over 2 tsp golden caster sugar and 4 tbsp plain flour, stirring until the flour turns brown.
• Tip the braising steak and any juices back into the pan and give it all a good stir.
• Pour over 300ml dark ale, 2 beef stock cubes mixed with 400ml boiling water and the porcini mushroom soaking liquid, discarding the last few drops.
• Season the stew, tuck in a small tied-together bunch of thyme, bay leaf and parsley, and bring everything to a simmer.
• Cover with a lid and place in the oven for about 2 hrs, until the braising steak is really tender.
• While the stew is cooking, heat a drop more vegetable oil in a frying pan and sizzle 200g smoked bacon lardons for 3 mins until crisp.
• Turn up the heat, add 200g halved chestnut mushrooms and cook for 4 mins until golden. Remove from the heat and, when the stew is cooked, stir them through.
• Leave everything to cool completely - better still, make this up to 2 days in advance and keep it in the fridge as the pie will be better if the filling is fridge-cold when added. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months and defrosted when needed.
• Make the pastry up to 2 days before you want to assemble the pie. Crumble 650g plain flour and 250g cold diced lard or butter, together with a generous pinch of sea salt until completely combined, then add up to 200ml ice-cold water to make a soft dough. This can be done in a food processor if you want.
• Knead the pastry, then wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hr. The pastry can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge or frozen for up to a month.
• When you want to make the pie, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and place a flat baking tray in the oven. Heavily grease a 24-28cm pie dish and dust well with flour.
• Cut a third off the pastry and set aside. Roll out the pastry to a thickish round that will easily line the pie dish with an overhang, then line the tin.
• Add the braising steak to the dish using a slotted spoon so some gravy is left in the container, as you don't want too much sauce in the pie. You want the filling to be slightly higher than the rim of the dish. If you have a bit too much, set it aside.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to a thick round big enough to cover the dish. Brush the edges of the pastry in the dish with 1 beaten egg yolk, then cover with the pastry lid.
• Trim the edges, crimp the pastry, then re-roll your trimmings to make a decoration, for example, pastry leaves. Brush the top heavily with egg. Make a few little slits in the centre of the pie, place on the hot baking tray.
• Bake for 40 mins until golden. Leave the pie to rest for 10 mins while you heat up the gravy left in the container. Serve the pie at the table with a jug of gravy and a big pile of greens.

Steps:

• FILLING:.
• Cut beef into 4cm cubes (1 1/2-inches). Heat a heavy-based pan with two tablespoons of oil and fry the beef until brown all over. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat a casserole pot with the remaining oil and cook the onion and garlic until quite brown, season with salt and pepper and push to one side.
• Add the butter and flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring.
• Add the beef, red wine, rosemary, orange rind, bay leaf and porcini mushrooms and liquid. Stir well, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer.
• Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.
• Add the mushrooms and cook for five more minutes, then leave to cool.
• PASTRY:.
• Take the butter out of the fridge half an hour before using.
• Put the flour on the kitchen bench; chop the butter into small pieces and sprinkle over the flour. Lightly rub the butter into the flour, then make a well in the middle and pour in four tablespoons of the water. Quickly and lightly work the flour and butter together using the heels of your hands by smearing the mixture across the bench - it will come together in lumpy bits. Add a little extra water if the pastry is too dry. Don't overwork this pastry; lightly bring it together - it will look a little speckled - wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 180C/350°F.
• Take a 23-26cm round pie dish (9-10 inches) and grease with a little butter.
• Roll out half the pastry with a little flour and line the bottom of the dish. Beat the egg white with a fork and brush over the pastry. Return to the fridge for 10 minutes. This will seal the pastry and prevent sogginess.
• ASSEMBLE:.
• Pour the mixture into the pie case and trim the edges 2cm (3/4 inch) from the filling.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to about half a centimeter (1/4 inch) and lay on top of the pie. Cut a slit in the middle to allow steam to escape.
• Beat the yolk with a tablespoon of water and brush over the top of the pastry. Bake about 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Season the steak cubes with black pepper then add to the skillet then cook until browned on the outside; remove to a bowl.
• Add in mushrooms and cook until browned.
• Add in onion and thyme; saute for about 5 minutes (adding in the garlic the last 2 minutes of cooking).
• Return the beef to the skillet.
• Stir in the mushroom gravy, 1 cup water and Worcestershire sauce (start with 2 teaspoons and add in more to taste); bring to a simmer over low heat and cook for 30-35 minutes.
• Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Set oven to 400 degrees F.
• Transfer the beef mixture to a greased casserole dish.
• Roll out the puff pastry to cover the top of the dish; press edges onto the rim of the dish to seal.
• In a small cup whisk together 1 tablespoons water with the egg, then brush over the top of the pastry.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is fuffed and golden brown.

Steps:

• Cut steak into 3cm cubes and season. Heat 2tbsp of oil in frying pan and over a high heat fry meat till well browned all over. Do this in 2 batches to avoid 'steaming' meat add extra tbsp of oil if pan is dry. Place beef in casserole dish and toss it in flour.
• Heat oven to Gas 2 150C/130C fan. add 1 tbsp oil to pan and cook the onions and garlic over a medium heat for 5-10 mins until golden and soft then mix with beef in casserole dish. Deglaze pan with red wine (or water) and Worcestershire sauce and bring to boil whilst stirring and lifting any residue from the pan.
• Pour sauce over the beef add stock and bay leaf. Bring to boil on top of stove then cover with lid and cook in oven for 1.5 hours.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in frying pan and cook mushrooms for 5 mins until lightly browned, then add to beef and return casserole for another 30 mins (2-hr total). Remove from oven and cool.
• To make the pastry rub the butter into the flour with a generous pinch of salt and mix with fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in egg and water mixture, bring together to form a dough and knead very lightly. Divide the dough into 2/3'ds for base and 1/3'ds for the top. Roll into balls, flatten slightly, wrap each ball in cling film and chill for 20 mins. If preparing dish early in day (or day before) you can prepare to this point and store filling and dough in fridge until next day or when ready to assemble. Remember to bring dough to room temperature before rolling.
• Heat oven to gas 6 200C/180C fan. Roll out larger ball of pastry and use to line a greased 23cm (9") pie dish. HANDY TIP!! To avoid a soggy base, sprinkle the pastry base with a spoonful of semolina then spoon in beef, onions and mushrooms using a slotted spoon, adding just enough of the liquid to be "saucy." Save remaining sauce and gently reheat and serve with finished pie. Brush the pastry rim with a little beaten egg. Roll out the smaller ball of dough for the pie top and gently lay it over the filling. Use a sharp knife to trim any overhanging pastry (you can use surplus to decorate top of pie). Crimp edges with fingers or fork, brush with beaten egg to glaze. Bake in oven for 30 mins until pie is golden brown and filling is piping hot. Serve with heated gravy.