OH-SO TENDER AND HEARTY!

What makes a pie melt-in-the-mouth good? A rich and tender filling topped with perfectly flaky pastry. Yum!

FALL APART BEEF PIES

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 / 4 cup plain flour

Sea-salt flakes, to season and sprinkle / tsp freshly ground black pepper,

plus extra, to season

1kg beef chuck steak, cut into

4cm pieces

2 large brown onions, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs,

to serve

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup red wine

2 cups beef stock

1/ 4 tsp freshly ground white pepper 3 sheets puff pastry, thawed 1 free-range egg yolk, lightly beaten 1 Tbsp milk

Tomato chutney, to serve

STEP 1 Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan on high. Season flour with salt and pepper, then toss beef in flour to coat. Shake off excess flour and cook beef, in batches, until browned, adding extra oil if needed. Transfer meat to a bowl.

STEP 2 In same pan, heat remaining oil on medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until so . Add garlic, thyme, paste and sauce. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in wine, bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, on medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until reduced by half. Gradually stir in stock, and white and black pepper. Return beef to pan. Simmer on low, covered, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 30 minutes on low, or until beef is tender and sauce has thickened slightly. Cool mixture completely.

STEP 3 Preheat oven to 200 C fan-forced (220 C conventional). Arrange six 1/2 -cup capacity ovenproof dishes or individual pots on 2 oven trays. Divide beef mixture between dishes (or see Cook’s tips, below). Cut pastry rounds to fit dishes and place on top. Mix egg yolk and milk and brush pastry tops with egg wash. Cut small leaf shapes from pastry offcuts and arrange on tops to form flower shapes. Brush with egg wash.

STEP 4 Sprinkle tops with sea-salt flakes. Bake for 20 minutes, or until pastry is golden and puffed. Garnish pies with thyme sprigs and serve with tomato chutney on the side.

MAKE MOUTH WATERING MINI YET MEATY PIES FOR COSY COMFORT EATING

You can slow cook a budget cut – chuck steak – into fall-apart beef with this flavour-packed pie recipe.