Individual Minced Steak Pies

I found a recipe of a lovely minced beef or steak pie that I wanted to try.  The recipe was by Paul Hollywood on the BBC Food site.  His version was called a football pie, with the top having a football pattern.  I just wanted to make the pies.  I also didn’t have the 4 inch foil pie tins that he suggested, so I used my larger, 6×4.5 inch oval tins.  That means that the recipe made 3 rather than 4 pies.

The pastry is a shortcrust and very easy to make and the filling is just a few ingredients and also easy to assemble.  So the most difficult part is the rolling out of the pastry.

Altogether I am pleased with the result, a lovely, crumbly and buttery, pastry and a very tasty steak and onion filling.

These pies are ideal as a lunch, or with vegetables for dinner.

Individual Minced Steak Pie – Video

Ingredients:
For the pastry:

• 250g plain flour
• 125g chilled butter, in cubes
• 2 medium egg yolks (large in USA)
• 1tbsp chilled water (have a little more ready too, in case you need it to pull the pastry together)
• pinch of salt
• 100 frozen peas

For the filling:

• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 500g lean steak mince(lean beef mince would be ok too)
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp flour
• 200 ml beef stock
• a few dashes of worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Put the flour, salt and butter in a bowl and rub together using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs and there are no lumps of butter left. 
2. Add the egg yolks and a tablespoon cold water. Gently bring the pastry together, adding more water if necessary.
3. Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured work-surface and gently knead until it has formed into a shiny ball. 
4. Wrap in cling-film and chill for at least 45 minutes.
5. For the filling, heat the oil in a large frying pan, and fry the onion until it begins to soften. 
6. Add the mince and fry until completely browned, moving it all the time. 
7. Add the tomato purée and cook for a few minutes. 
8. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, pour in the stock and a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce.
9. Turn the heat down to a simmer, season and leave to cook for about 20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. 
10. Turn off the heat and leave to cool.
11. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
12. Remove the pastry from the fridge and unwrap it. Divide the pastry into 6 pieces, if using tins the same size as mine.  If using 4inch pie tins divide into 8.
13. To line each of the pie dishes, roll out one of the pieces of pastry to a thickness of 2mm, and line the foil pastry case by gently pressing the pastry right to the base. There needs to be about 1cm pastry overhanging the edges. Repeat to line the other tins.
14. Now roll out the other pieces of pastry, slightly thicker this time, to make the pie lids.
15. Mix the peas into the cooled filling and divide between the pie dishes. 
16. Brush a little egg wash around the overhanging pastry and place the lids on top. 
17. Trim the edges of the pastry. 
18. Crimp the edges of the pastry by pinching the edge with your forefinger and thumb, and then using the forefinger of your other hand, push up from below, creating a neat wave. Repeat all the way around the edge.
19. Brush a little more egg wash on top and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the pies are crisp and golden-brown.
20. Remove from the oven and wait ten minutes before removing the pastry cases. Serve warm.