Recipe: Beef & Mixed Veg Gastro Pie

• Ingredients:

  Diced Beef (1kg), Diced Onions(400g), Red Wine(400ml), Beef Broth(400ml), Veg Oil(2 tbsp), Plain Flour(2 tbsp), Bay Leaves(2), Thyme Sprigs(2), Knorr Demi-glaze(25g), Puff Pastry(250g), Egg(1), Poppy Seeds(1 tsp), Salt & Pepper

• Instructions:

  Preheat the oven to 160°C and set a rack in the lower middle position. Heat a bit of oil in a large casserole dish and brown the meat in 3 batches. Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside.

• 2

  Add the onions, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the brown bits from bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes. Then add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with flour. Stir with wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved.

• 3

  Add the wine, beef broth, and water to cover the meat, add bay leaf, thyme, bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and braise for 2 hours.

• 4

  Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots and mix in Demi-glace powder mixed in100ml of Hot water . Cover and place back in oven for about an hour more, or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender.

• 5

  Use ready-made puff pastry to make crispy pastry quickly and easily for the pies. cut 4 to 6 circle of puff pastry 1cm wider than the top of the bowl your going to serve the pie and put on tray with baking paper.

• 6.

  Brush the pastry with the mixed egg (sprinkle with poppy seeds) and bake in the oven for 25 mins or until the pastry is golden and crisp.