Delicious curried beef pie

If you’re looking for something to feed a crowd on a special occasion then this pie is the perfect dish. There’s nothing like mixing classic tender beef with a curry gravy sauce for bursts of new flavours. Cook this up for a big event and let people help themselves, because they will definitely be wanting to go back for seconds!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1.5kg gravy beef, cut into 4cm pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1L (4 cups) beef stock
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• Melted butter, to grease
• 100g butter, chilled, chopped
• 190g (1 1/4 cups) plain flour, extra
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 sheets (25 x 25cm) frozen butter puff pastry, just thawed

Method

1. Place flour in a large ziplock bag and season with salt and pepper. Add beef, close bag and shake to mix. In large heavy-based saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Separate beef into quarters. Cook one quarter for 3-4 minutes, until brown. Transfer cooked beef to a heatproof bowl. Repeat with remaining three portions making sure to reheat pan in between batches.
2. Heat left-over oil in pan. Add onion. Stir for 4 mins until golden. Mix in garlic and cook for 1 min. Add curry powder, stirring, cook for 1 min. Add beef, stock and sugar and stir well. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour while covered. Uncover and cook for another hour until beef is tender and sauce has thickened. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 200C. Brush melted butter over 23cm based pie dish. Place butter and extra flour in food processor and mix until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add water and process until mixture is combined. Lightly flour a surface and knead dough until smooth. Roll with rolling pin until large enough to cover dish. Press into prepared dish. Place beef mixture into pastry and brush milk over edges.
4. Put puff pastry sheets on top of each other. Roll until large enough to be a lid for the pie. Cover filling with pastry and trim excess. Press edges together. Brush milk over edges. Cut cross into the top of the pastry to release steam. Place on baking tray and bake for 50-55 mins until golden and puffy.