Easy Meat Pies
Beef and Burgundy Pies
Sausage en Croute
Turkey, Ham & Sage Pie
Farmhouse Chicken Pie



Easy Meat Pies
Makes 4 individual pies

2 sheets frozen pre-rolled puff pastry, thawed
Beaten egg, to glaze

FILLING
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
500g stewing steak, blade or chuck, trimmed and cut into cubes
400ml beef stock
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 teaspoons tomato paste
200g mushrooms, sliced
Salt & pepper
6 teaspoons cornflour

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan until hot. Add the beef cubes, a
few at a time, and cook until sealed and browned. Continue to cook over a
medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the
meat is browned on all sides.

Pour in the stock. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 1 hour. Stir in
the onion, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Simmer for 30 minutes,
without the lid, or until the beef is tender. Add the mushrooms and salt
and pepper to taste.

Blend the cornflour with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the meat
mixture. Bring to the boil, stirring, until thickened. Spoon evenly into
four individual ovenproof dishes or pie tins and allow to cool slightly.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Place the pastry sheets
separately on a lightly floured surface. Cut out two rounds from each
pastry sheet to fit the tops of the dishes. Place over the meat filling
and secure the edges. Brush with the beaten egg.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until risen and golden brown.

NB: Check the liquid occasionally when stewing the beef and add more stock
if necessary to cover the beef.




Beef and Burgundy Pies
Makes 6 individual pies

2 sheets frozen pre-rolled puff pastry, thawed
Beaten egg to glaze.

FILLING
750g lean topside or round beef
125g lamb kidneys
1/2 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
90g butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
125g mushrooms, sliced
1 cup burgundy wine (or wine of your choice)

For the filling, trim the beef and cut into 2.5cm cubes; skin and trim the
kidney and cut into 1cm cubes. Place in a bowl with the flour, salt &
pepper and toss until evenly coated. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Heat 60g butter and the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and fry the beef
and kidney in batches over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally,
until browned. Place each batch in a large casserole. Add remaining butter
to the pan and cook the onion and garlic over a medium heat, stirring
occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add the
burgundy and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the pan sediment.
Pour over the beef and kidney. Cover the casserole and bake for 30
minutes, reduce oven temperature to 160 degrees Celsius and bake for a
further 1/2-1 hour, or until tender. Increase the oven temperature to 230
degrees.

Divide the filling between six individual 250ml pie dishes and leave to
cool. Lay the pastry sheets on a floured surface and cut out 6 tops for
the pie dishes and 6 strips for pie dish rims. Brush pie dish rims with
cold water; place pastry rims on pie dish rims and brush with more water.
Cover the filling with the pastry tops. Press edges to seal. Flake and
flute the edges; make a steam slit under each one. Decorate the pies with
pastry leaves made from the trimmings. Brush pastry with egg.

Place the pie dishes on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until
well risen and golden brown.




Sausage En Croute
(This is like a big sausage roll)
Serves 6

300g sausage meat
250g lean ground beef or lamb
1 small carrot, scrubbed and grated
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 apple, grated with skin on
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
400g packet crusty pie pastry
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Mix sausage meat and mince together in a bowl. Add carrot, onion, apple,
breadcrumbs and sage. Mix to combine. Roll pastry out on a lightly floured
board to a 30cm square. Shape sausage meat mixture into a 25cm cylinder
with floured hands. Place down the centre of the pastry. Brush pastry
edges with water and wrap around to enclose the sausage cylinder. Place on
a baking tray sealed edge down. Beat egg and water together and brush over
pastry. Re-roll pastry trimmings and cut out leaf shapes. Cut 5 to 6
slashes in the pastry top. Brush pastry with egg wash. Decorate with
pastry leaves down center of roll. Brush egg wash over pastry leaves. Bake
at 210 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 190 degrees
and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until pastry is golden and meat is
cooked. Serve hot or cold.




Turkey, Ham & Sage Pie
Serves 6

2 sheets frozen pre-rolled short crust pastry, thawed
Beaten egg, to glaze

FILLING
500g cooked turkey, chopped
175g cooked ham, chopped
30g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
125g button mushrooms, halved
1 green capsicum, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup flour
450ml milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1 x 310g can sweetcorn, drained
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Salt & Pepper

For the filling, put the turkey & ham into a 1.5 litre pie dish.
Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. Add the onion, mushrooms &
capsicum and gently fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add the flour and stir over the heat for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat and
bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in the sage,
sweetcorn and cheese. Add salt & pepper to taste. Pour the sauce mixture
over the turkey and ham.

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. On a lightly floured surface, place
one sheet of pastry, then brush lightly with cold water and cover with the
second pastry sheet. Roll out the layered pastry until large enough to
cover the pie dish with a 2.5cm overlap. Cut off a 2.5cm strip from the
edge of the pastry and lay on the rim of the dish. Brush the rim with
beaten egg and put the pastry lid on top. Press the edges to seal and
flute with your fingers.

Re-roll any trimmings. Cut out leaf decorations and stick on with beaten
egg. Using a sharp knife, make decorative cuts in the centre of the pastry
lid. Brush all over with egg. Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes, or until the
pastry is golden brown.




Farmhouse Chicken Pie
Serves 4-6

2 sheets frozen pre-rolled short crust pastry, thawed
4 teaspoons milk, to glaze

FILLING
400g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
150ml milk
40g butter
1/4 cup flour
130g can corn kernels
Black pepper

Put the chicken into a pan. Add bay leaf, onion, carrot, salt & 300ml
water. Bring to boil, then cover and reduce the heat. Simmer for 20
minutes, stirring once. Meanwhile, roll out 1 sheet of pastry on a lightly
floured board until a little bigger and use to line a 23cm round pie
plate. Prick the base. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Strain the
cooking liquid from the chicken into a measuring jug. Remove the bay leaf
and reserve the chicken and vegetables. Cube the chicken meat. Increase
stock to 450ml by adding the milk.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir
constantly for 1 minute. Add the stock and milk mixture and bring to the
boil, stirring constantly, over the medium heat, until the sauce is thick
and smooth. Add the chicken, reserved vegetables and corn. Stir to
combine. Season to taste with black pepper. Spoon the filling into the
prepared pastry case. Brush the edge with a little cold water. Place the
second sheet of pastry on top. Press edges to seal; trim and decorate.
Brush pastry with milk. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown.

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