Beef and vegetable pot pie

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 4¾ HRS (PLUS RESTING, COOLING)

Pie means comfort, but it needn’t take all day. This version does it all in one pot, skips the pastry base and works if you make the braise ahead, too. Pictured p119.

50 ml vegetable oil

1.1 kg beef oyster blade, cut into 8cm pieces

Plain flour, for dusting 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 8 golden shallots

450 ml red wine

500 ml (2 cups) veal or beef stock 3 thyme sprigs

1 bunch Dutch carrots, scrubbed and trimmed ½ cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped 1 egg yolk, whisked with

1 tsp water

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

185 gm unsalted butter, coarsely chopped

300 gm (2⅔ cups) plain flour 1 egg yolk

1 Preheat oven to 160°C. Heat oil in a deep ovenproof frying pan or shallow casserole over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt, dust lightly with flour and fry, turning occasionally, until browned (7-8 minutes). Add garlic and shallots and sauté until shallots just start to colour (3-4 minutes). Transfer shallots to a plate. Deglaze pan with wine, scraping base of pan, then add stock and thyme. Cover and braise in oven until beef is very tender, adding shallots for the last 30 minutes of cooking

(3-3½ hours). Transfer beef and shallots to a plate to cool, then tear beef into bite-sized pieces. Simmer braising liquid over high heat until reduced to 200ml (25-35 minutes), season to taste, then stir in beef, shallots, carrots and parsley. Cool.

2 Meanwhile, for pastry, process butter and flour in a food processor to fine crumbs. Add egg yolk, 2 tbsp cold water and ½ tsp salt and pulse until a dough forms. Turn out onto a work surface, bring together with the heel of your hand, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to rest. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 6mm thick and chill until firm (1 hour).

3 Place pastry over pan, trim, leaving a little overhanging, then fold and twist edges back on themselves to fit neatly in pan and create an edge. Cut a small hole in centre to allow steam to escape, then brush with eggwash and bake until golden (30 minutes). Wine suggestion big Barossa shiraz.