New Year’s Day was almost invented for steak pie and although we had the offer of someone else cooking one for us, we flaked and laid on the couch all day, eventually making our own version whilst enjoying/enduring (me/husband) an epic Keeping Up With The Kardashians marathon!
The recipe is one I found online but adapted a bit here and there. The original though was posted after the recipe was found on a stray piece of paper on a train journey. The finder took it home, tried it out and declared it the absolute best steak and ale pie!
Black Gold Steak Pie
Ingredients
675g (2 packs) diced braising steak
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 heaped teaspoons of wholemeal flour
Olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
1 small handful of chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, bay leaf)
1 500ml bottle of ale (we used Cairngorm Black Gold)
2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
1 packet of ready rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Directions
Season the beef well and toss in the flour until coated. Heat a generous glug (it’s New Year’s Day, the diet starts tomorrow) of oil in a pan and fry the beef until well browned. I have in the past used my Le Creuset but this monster wouldn’t fit so I had to transfer to my soup pan. Add the onion and the herbs for a minute or so before pouring in all the ale. It’ll be a bit grim looking for a little while but don’t worry the frosh does eventually subside. Add your tomatoes and then bring to the boil. Simmer for about 2 hours making sure to cover it if needed and draw straws with your husband every 15 mins or so to see who’s going to peel off the couch and give it a stir. (If I was using a Le Creuset I’d have probably stuck it in the oven with the lid ajar at around 170’C and ignored it for 2 hours).
After the beef has stewed it should be wallowing in a nice tasty sauce but you can check for seasoning and add more if you like. Pour it into a pie dish for 6 (or 4 greedy people). Heat your oven to 200’C. I’m lazy so I buy the ready rolled pastry but if you didn’t, roll your pastry now. Cover your pie with a generous layer of lightly scored pastry. (I add mine in 1 portion pieces to make it easier to serve, the lazy thing again. I’m sure some would argue that the pie might be drier but, you know what, it works for us!) Brush gently with the beaten egg and place in the oven for approx. 30 minutes. If you made the filling earlier you might want to cook the pie for a bit longer.
When it comes out of the oven it should be golden and delicious – and yet, strangely, nothing like an apple. We had ours with petit pois and the husband endured further TV torment in the form of Sex and the City (the first one of course). He must really love me!
