Corned beef and potato pie

Ingredients

• 12 ounce / 340 gram can corned beef
• 1 pound / 450 grams potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice)
• 1/2 pound / 225 grams onions (peeled and diced)
• 1/2 pound / 225 grams carrots (peeled and diced)
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree / tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 1/2 cup / 350 grams plain flour
• 3/4 cup / 175 grams butter (cubed)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Filling ---

2. 2

   Peel all the vegetables and cut them into small dice - approximately half-inch in size.

3. 3

   Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a pan and fry the potatoes on moderate heat, stirring frequently, until they are starting to brown.

4. 4

   Add the carrots and onions and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down to low and leave to steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure they don't burn. Add another splash of water if they are sticking.

5. 5

   The carrots should have softened and the onions should have turned translucent.

6. 6

   Stir in the peas, Worcestershire sauce and tomato puree. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

7. 7

   Cut the corned beef into one-inch cubes and stir through carefully so as not to break it up too much. Set the filling aside to cool.

8. 8

   --- Pastry ---

9. 9

   Place the flour, salt and cubed butter into a large mixing bowl.

10. 10

    Use your fingertips and rub the butter into the pastry until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. The aim of this exercise is to coat each grain of flour with butter to prevent the formation of gluten.

11. 11

    Add most of the water to the mixture and use a flat-bladed knife to mix to a shaggy dough. Then use your hands to press the dough together. Use the remaining water only if the dough doesn't come together in a non-sticky ball.

12. 12

    Wrap the ball of dough in cling film or place it in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator to rest for half an hour.

13. 13

    --- Assemble and bake ---

14. 14

    Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F

15. 15

    Take two-thirds of the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to approximately one-eighth of an inch in thickness. Use it to line a greased pie dish. Leave a bit of pastry overhanding to attach the lid.

16. 16

    Transfer the cooled filling into the pastry case.

17. 17

    Roll out the remaining pastry to make the lid and place it over the pie. Use a fork to seal the edges of the pastry. Cut a cross in the top of the pastry to allow the steam to escape as it bakes. Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg. Use scraps of pastry to decorate the pie.

18. 18

    Place the pie onto a baking sheet (to make it easier to get it in and out of the oven and bake at 200C / 400F for 25 minutes or until golden. Serve hot with baked beans.