Curry Beef Pies

Ingredients

• 3 sheets short crust pastry (or 1 quantity of homemade basic short crust)
• 1.2kg shin beef, cut into 2cm cubes
• ½ cup plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup curry powder
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 3 brown onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 cups beef stock
• 3 sheets puff pastry
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

 Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C

2. Cut the pastry sheets in half diagonally and line 6 individual pie trays with the pastry.  Trim the edges.  Line with baking paper and fill with rice or pastry weights.  Bake on a tray for 15 minutes.  Remove the weights and cool on a wire rack.

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C

4. Combine the flour, salt, curry powder and pepper in a bowl and toss the meat through.

5. In a large chef’s pan, heat 1 tbs oil over high heat.  Shake the excess flour from the meat and brown 1/3 of the meat on all sides and remove to a bowl.  Repeat with the rest of the meat.

6. Lower the heat to medium and add the last tbs oil.  Saute the onions and garlic until soft but not brown.

7. Return meat to the pan, then add the tomatoes, beef stock and brown sugar.   Cover, and place in the oven for 2 hours or until the meat is soft.  If the sauce needs to thicken, cook without the lid for half an hour.

8. Allow to cool before filling pies.

9. Brush the edges of the short crust pastry case.

10. Place the puff pastry over each pie dish and press around the rim.  Cut off any excess pastry.  Poke a few holes in the top with a sharp knife and brush with the egg mixed with 1 tbs water.  Increase the heat of the oven to 200°C.

11. Place in the oven for 25 mins or until puffed and golden.

Variation – if you can’t be bothered pre-baking pastry cases, you can just cut circles of puff pastry and place some of the filling on one half.  Fold over and press the edges together, then bake at 200°C for 25 minutes.