RECIPE
Healthier steak , ale & stilton pie
Laura Meyer
SERVES 4
• 400g lean beef braising steak , cubed
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
• 1 large onion , finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves , finely chopped
• 2 carrots , peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 250g chestnut mushrooms , quartered
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 beef stock cube or 500ml good-quality beef stock
• 300ml dark ale
• pinch of sugar
• 2 rosemary sprigs , leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 2 thyme sprigs , leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 80g blue stilton , crumbled
• oil spray , for greasing the dish
• 4 sheets filo pastry ( 280g )
• 2 tbsp light butter , melted
1 . Heat the oven to 180C / 160C fan / gas 4 . Put the beef , flour and plenty of seasoning in a large bowl . Toss the beef in the flour so that it ’ s completely coated . 2 . Heat the oil in a large saucepan , then add the beef . Fry over a medium heat for 4-5 mins until the beef is well-browned ( but not cooked through ). Remove the beef from the pan and set aside in a bowl . 3 . Put the onion , garlic , carrots and mushrooms in the same pan . Fry for 4-5 mins until the onions start to soften . Add a splash of water if the pan becomes dry . If using a stock cube , make your stock now using 500ml boiling water . 4 . Add the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce , cook for 1 min and then add the beef stock and ale with a pinch of sugar . Put the beef back in the pan with the rosemary and thyme , stir , then bring to the boil .
5 . Reduce the heat and simmer the pie mixture over a low heat , lid off , for 1 hr until the beef and carrots are soft and the sauce has reduced . 6 . Remove from the heat and let the pie filling cool completely . This will stop the pastry sinking into the beef . Once the pie filling is cool , grease a medium pie dish with oil spray and pour in the filling . Sprinkle the blue stilton over the top , pressing it in where it falls . 7 . Top the pie with a single sheet of filo , then brush the pastry with melted butter using a pastry brush . Add a second layer of pastry , brush lightly with melted butter , and continue until all the pastry and butter is used . Make sure the pastry covers the edges of the pie dish , so the filling doesn ’ t leak out . 8 . Trim the edges of the pastry and then bake in the oven for 25 mins until the pastry is golden and crispy .
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