STEAK AND MUSHROOM PIE

700 g stewing steak, cut into small even pieces

30 ml seasoned flour

1 medium onion, skinned and sliced

450 ml Beef Stock

salt and pepper

100 g button mushrooms, wiped

212 g (7 ½ oz) packet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 beaten egg, to glaze

1. Coat the meat with seasoned flour, then put in a large saucepan with the sliced onion and stock.


2. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 ½ – 2 hours, until the meat is tender. Season to taste. Alternatively, cook for 2 hours in a covered casserole in the oven at 170°C mark 3.


3. Chill the meat and the mushrooms, then put into a 1.1 litre pie dish with enough of the gravy to half fill it.


4. Roll out the pastry 2.5 cm larger than the top of the dish. Cut off a 1 cm strip from round the edge of the pastry and put this strip round the dampened rim of the dish. Dampen the edges of the pastry with water and put on the top of the pie, without stretching the pastry; trim if necessary and knock up the edges. Use the trimmings to make decorations if wished. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg.


5. Bake in the oven at 220°C mark 7 for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180°C mark 4 and cook for about a further 20 minutes.
   Serves 4

STEAK AND MUSHROOM PIE