Australian Meat Pies
Ingredients
For Filling
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 1 lb round steak, stewing meat, cubed (can also use minced beef)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or Vegemite)
- 4½ cup beef stock
- 2-3 tbsp cornstarch
- ⅓ cup water (or more if needed)
- pepper to taste
For Pastry
- 1 package ready-made pie crust
- 1 package ready-made puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
To Serve
- ketchup
Equipment
- four 5" pie tins
- nonstick cooking spray
How-to
Make Filling
- In a large straight-edged saute pan or dutch oven over high heat, add oil and onions. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes
- Add the meat and cook until the beef has turned white on the outside, 3-5 minutes
- Add tomato paste, beef stock, red wine and Worchestershire sauce (or Vegemite) and bring to a low simmer and allow to cook, uncovered for 1 hour
Assemble Pies & Bake
- Preheat oven to 350º
- Combine the water and cornstarch to form a thickener for the meat gravy. Add more water as needed
- Whisk the mixture into the simmering filling. Allow this mixture to simmer while you prepare the pie crusts
- Roll out the prepared pie crust and cut 4 pie bases, using the lip of your pie tin to guide you, cutting the dough slightly larger than the tin
- Roll out the puff pastry, and cut 4 pie lids, using the lip of the pie tin as your guide, again cutting larger than the 5" outer rim of the tin
- Coat pie tins with nonstick cooking spray. Place bottom pie crusts in the tins
- Spoon in a generous amount of pie filling
- Put the top crust on each of the pies, pinching to connect the bottom and top crusts.
- Brush lids with beaten egg so that the pies will brown on top, and make a couple of small slits in the lid to allow steam to escape while baking (and prevent the pies from exploding!)
- Bake about 30 minutes, or until the lids are puffed and golden
- Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving. Top with ketchup and enjoy!