Huey's Beef & Worcestershire Pies

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 25 mins

Ingredients

• olive oil, for sauteing
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
• 2 -3 slices rindless bacon, chopped
• 600 g lean stewing beef, cut into smallish cubes
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 (410 g) cans diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 liter beef stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• sea salt, to taste
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 2 -3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce, to taste
• puff pastry sheet
• cooking spray
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• good quality tomato sauce, to serve

Recipe

• 1 heat a little oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and gently sauté the onion, garlic and bacon until tender, stirring now and again.
• 2 add the cubed steak and gently cook until it changes colour, stirring regularly.
• 3 then stir in the flour and briefly cook.
• 4 add the tomatoes, stock, parsley, bay leaves, seasonings and worcestershire sauce; mix well, bring to the simmer and then turn the heat down; gently simmer for about 1 hour until the meat is very tender; remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• 5 cut the pastry sheets into six rounds and press into individual, lightly oiled pie tins, leaving a little pastry around the edges; put them on an oven tray and refrigerate while the filling is cooking.
• 6 preheat oven to 180°c/350°-375°f/gas mark 4-5.
• 7 combine the egg and milk, and cut out six smaller pastry rounds.
• 8 spoon the filling into the cooled pastry tins and fold in the pastry edges; paint the edges and the smaller pastry round edges with egg wash; place the rounds over the pies, press down the edges and place on an oven tray; brush again with the egg wash and cook in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
• 9 serve the beef & worcestershire pies with tomato sauce on the side.