Beef and Mushroom Pie

We made this one on Valentine's day 2021 (LOCKDOWN !!) as an alternative to the usual winner, winner chicken dinner. Gets a bit of use out of the slow cooker !!

• Difficulty: Easy
• Category: Baking (Savoury)
• Cuisine: British

Ingredients

For the Pie mix

• 250 g cubed beef / beef steak / stewing steak
• 2 large field mushrooms (chopped into chunks)
• 1 stick celery
• 1 large carrot
• 1 onion
• salt, pepper, flour mix
• tbsp worcester sauce
• oxo cube
• 100 ml boiling water

For Pastry

• 100 g plain flour
• 25 g butter (get it out the fridge 20 mins before)
• 25 g lard (get it out the fridge 20 mins before)
• drop cold water
• pinch salt

Instructions

1. Put a drop of oil in the slow cooker. Chop onion, celery, carrot, garlic Coat the beef in the flour mixture - add into the slow cooker to seal - then add in the rest of the above ingredients
2. Leave to fry for 5 to 10 mins Add in the thyme, and stock cube - mix. Add in worcester sauce - and the boiling water. Stir to ensure Oxo cube mixed in properly. If you are not using a slow cooker then maybe a bit more water since slow cooker seems not to lose water like a crock pot does
3. Cook for 2 hours - about 10 mins before the end add the mushrooms ( so that they don't totally disappear if added too early )
4. When done add into pie dish - ready for the lid to go on

Pastry

5. Sieve the flour into a bowl - add the salt Add butter and lard - then chop into small pieces in the flour
6. Using fingers gently rub into flour till mixture crumbly. Add tsp water - and use knife to bring it all together into a dough Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour
7. Get out of fridge, roll on floured surface .

Bringing it all together

8. Heat over to 180 degrees
9. Wet the top edges of pie dish and line with thin strip of pastry ( so that the lid sticks ) Cover with rolled pastry and add prick the top to let out air. Brush with milk / egg wash Put in oven for 45 minutes (or until pastry is golden )