MEAT AND POTATO PIE

Sometimes the old fashioned and simple pies are the best, this pie only has a couple of ingredients yet is packed full of filling, flavour and feeds a large family for pennies per portion.  This pie recipe feeds 6-8 people and costs under £5 without compromising on the quality of ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

(serves 6-8)

FOR THE PIE FILLING

500g ground beef mince

3 large potatoes peeled and rough diced

1 onion fine chopped

1 garlic clove grated

1 stick celery fine chopped optional

2 tbsp brown sauce

1 tbsp tomato puree

Salt and pepper

500ml beef stock

FOR THE PASTRY

450g plain flour

110g cold lard diced

100g cold stork or butter diced

Pinch of salt

180ml cold water

First make the pastry so that it can relax in the fridge for 30minutes while you make the filling.  Place the flour and salt in a large bowl, roughly rub the fat into the flour, add the water and just bring together to form a ball, wrap in baking paper and pop in the fridge.  Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees.

Heat a non stick pan and soften the onion, garlic and celery in a glug of ooil, add the mince and brown, add the brown sauce, tom puree, salt and pepper and the stock, bring to a gently simmer and add the potatoes, simmer for 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft but hold their shape and the sauce has reduced to a gravy consistency.  Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.  Take off the heat and transfer into a cold bowl.

Roll out the pastry and cut out a pie lid and base, place the pastry base in your tin, trim the edge and pour in the slightly cooled pie filling.  Egg wash the rim and pop on the pastry lid, egg wash and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes until golden brown all over and the pie is smelling delicious.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving, this allows the pastry to relax just a little and makes removing from the tin so much easier.