Our steak and ale individual pies are a definite treat meal, for days when only a pie will do. If you are cooking for a crowd, serving individual pies is a handy way to monitor portion control and it looks a little fancier too. Our individual pies are filled with a delicious, comforting steak and ale filling and are topped with homemade flaky pastry. We’ve written this recipe for one, so make sure to multiply the quantities if making more. If you’re short on time you could always opt for a shop-bought pastry instead that’s ready to roll. Serve the individual pies with steamed or butter mashed potato during the colder months of the year for even more comfort…
Ingredients
- 1 chuck or stewing steak, approx. 150g, into 2.5cm/1inch cubes
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- ½ carrot or 1 small carrot, chopped
- 1tsp butter
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- 1tbsp flour
- 100ml dark ale
- 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1tsp beef stock or ¼ of a stock cube
- 50g frozen peas
- For the pastry:
- 60g flour
- 30g cold butter, grated
- 1 egg, beaten
Method
For the filing: fry the beef for a minute each side to brown, set aside on a plate. In the same pan, cook the onion and carrot in the butter until softened. Add the garlic clove and cook for another minute. Stir in the flour and slowly add the ale, whisking continuously until thickened. Add the Worcestershire sauce and stock along with 100ml water. Place the beef cubes back in the mixture and cover to cook over a low heat for 45mins. Remove and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
For the pastry: Mix the flour and cold grated butter in a large bowl. Add half of the egg, and bring together to form a soft dough. Place, covered, in the fridge for 20mins to rest.
Remove the pastry from the fridge, and roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin.
Once the filling has cooled slightly, spoon it into a small pie dish and top with the pastry. Crimp or fork the edges, brush with the other half of the egg and bake in the oven for 20-25mins until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve warm with a green salad.
Top tip for making Steak and ale individual pies
Use shop-bought pastry to save time
