Party Pies MAKES 24
INGREDIENTS
Butter, for greasing
4 sheets store-bought puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Tomato sauce, to serve
1 quantity Minced Beef Filling (below)
MINCED BEEF FILLING
1 tbsp olive oil
1kg minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
½ tsp mild curry powder
1 beef stock cube 2 tbsp plain flour
1 carrot, coarsely grated
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
Salt and white pepper
METHOD
1
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly
2 grease a 12-hole muffin pan with butter. Lay out 2 sheets of the puff pastry on a lightly floured work counter. Working in batches, cut out 12 x 9cm circles from the puff pastry and press these into the pan. Add enough of the
3 filling to come just to the top of the pan. Lay the remaining 2 sheets of puff pastry on a lightly floured work counter. Cut out 12 x 8cm circles from the pastry. Prick each a few times with a fork and put on top of the pies. Lightly brush with the beaten egg and press around the edges with a fork. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Leave to cool for a few minutes before removing from pan. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients to make 24 party pies. Serve with tomato sauce. 4
FOR THE MINCED BEEF FILLING
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over a high heat. Add the minced beef, onion and a generous pinch of salt and white pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring to break up the minced beef and until the meat is well browned. Sprinkle the curry powder, stock cube and flour 5 over the meat.
Stir and cook for 1 minute. Stir through the carrot and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir through 500ml water, the Worcestershire sauce and
6 dark soy sauce. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until thick and dark. Leave to cool, then refrigerate until needed. This will keep in the fridge for up to three days.
TIP This base meat filling will make 24 party pies, six standard meat pies and one large family pie to feed six.