Diana Henry's recipe has a shortcrust pastry base and a puff pastry top so is a bit of work (though the puff pastry is bought). You can, if you prefer, use a puff pastry top and forego the bottom layer but this version is more substantial and satisfying. Serve with mash and buttered Savoy cabbage.
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Blot the beef with kitchen paper to dry it for better browning. Heat the oil (or dripping) in a large heavy-bottomed pan and cook the beef over a high heat in 2-3 batches. You want good colour on it. Scoop the beef out into a bowl with a slotted spoon as soon as each batch is ready. When all the beef is browned, add the onion, carrot and celeriac to the pan and sauté over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until the onion is beginning to colour.
Stir in the tomato purée, then cook for 1 minute. Add the beef, with any juices, the stock, bay leaves, thyme and seasoning. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn the heat to low. Cover and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, removing the lid for the last 30-40 minutes, to help the juices reduce. Remove the thyme and bay leaves. Mash the butter and flour together, then slowly whisk bits of this into the beef to thicken it slightly. Once the meat is ready, cool then chill.
To make the shortcrust pastry, put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt into a food processor and, using the pulse button, process until you have pea-sized lumps. Add the egg yolk and process again. The pastry might come together, or you may need between 1-3 tbsp cold water – add only as much as you need. Pull the pastry together, flatten into a disc and wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.
Butter a 27cm pie dish with a depth of 4cm. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured piece of baking parchment to a circle, about 30cm diameter. Use the parchment to move the pastry, then line the base and the sides, pressing the pastry into position. Cut off the excess all the way round. Put this in the coldest part of your fridge for 40 minutes.
Heat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6 and put a baking sheet into it. Put some greaseproof paper on top of the pastry, scrunching it up so it covers the base and sides. Put baking beans – or regular dried beans – on top of the paper. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for 5 minutes more. Leave to cool. Paint the base with egg white and put it back into the oven for 3 minutes. Leave the pastry case to cool.
Using baking parchment, roll the puff pastry until large enough to cover the top of the pie with a little overhang. Put this on a baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Fill the pastry case with the beef. Gently paint the lip of the pastry with beaten egg. Put the puff pastry on top, pressing the edges together all the way around so the lid and the pastry case is sealed. Trim off the excess pastry. Using the tines of a fork, press the pastries together. Brush the top with beaten egg and make a few tiny slits in the middle, so the steam can escape. Slide the pie onto the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffed up and golden and hot in the middle.
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy | 3,663kJ/ 876kcals |
|---|---|
Fat | 47g |
Saturated Fat | 28g |
Carbohydrates | 64g |
Sugars | 6.4g |
Fibre | 5.1g |
Protein | 46g |
Salt | 1.1g |
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