Pie in the Sky

March 20, 2018

Another Monday and another opportunity to feed good friends. One of the dishes we’ve shared is the meat pie. Having sampled the ‘mother’s’ and the ‘daughter’s’, I felt it was time for the men to step up to the mark and try and compete with which I must say is, incredible competition.

So, I decided upon a steak and ale pie. Not very adventurous but pie making is about giving the pretence of simple hearty food without consideration for the love that goes into the process.

As a proud Welshman I chose Welsh stewing steak which I trimmed the excess fat from and diced the meat into smallish chunks before adding it to my casserole pan which had a generous coating of olive oil and 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves and a large onion which had been sweating down for about 15 minutes.

Next there was need for some liquid in the form of a cup measure of Butty Bach ale. To this I add two beef stock pots and some carrot, peas & mushrooms, and left the whole thing simmer on a medium low heat for approximately an hour and a half.

Ready for the oven

I then set the covered pan aside until the next evening when I made up my shortcrust pastry and finished the pie. The standing time had allowed all the wonderful flavours mix and settle.

I baked the pie at 200deg C in a fan assisted oven for about 40 minutes.

Ready for the table

Roast potatoes and parsnips, together with seasonal vegetables and a small cauliflower cheese, accompanied the pie. Marvellous hearty wholesome winter food.