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

  1. 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
  2. Add the meat and cook until the beef has turned white on the outside, 3-5 minutes
  3. 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

  1. Preheat oven to 350º
  2. Combine the water and cornstarch to form a thickener for the meat gravy.  Add more water as needed
  3. Whisk the mixture into the simmering filling.  Allow this mixture to simmer while you prepare the pie crusts
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. Coat pie tins with nonstick cooking spray. Place bottom pie crusts in the tins
  7. Spoon in a generous amount of pie filling
  8. Put the top crust on each of the pies, pinching to connect the bottom and top crusts.
  9. 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!)
  10. Bake about 30 minutes, or until the lids are puffed and golden
  11. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving. Top with ketchup and enjoy!