Steak and mushroom pie with crispy puff pastry

Close your eyes and imagine a pie made with tender chunks of beef, tasty mushrooms with plenty of vegetables all swimming in a thick meaty gravy, and covered with a crispy layer of puff pastry. This delicious steak and mushroom pie with crispy puff pastry can be on your menu tonight if you follow my easy instructions.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound / 450 grams stewing steak (cubed)
• 1 large carrot (approx 3/4 cup cut into 1/2" blocks)
• 2 stalks celery (approx 3/4 cup diced)
• 1 medium onion (approx 1 cup coarsely chopped)
• 1/4 head white cabbage (approx 1 cup finely shredded)
• 2 ounces / 50 grams bacon lardons
• 6 ounces / 175 grams white or chestnut mushrooms (sliced or quartered)
• 1 roll store-bought puff pastry (you will only need about half a roll)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil (for frying)
• 1 beaten egg (for egg-washing the pastry)
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml red wine
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree or tomato paste (not ketchup or tomato sauce)
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon flour (for thickening the gravy if necessary)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Meat ---
2. 2Coat the cubed beef in a mixture of flour and salt.
3. 3Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a large frying pan and fry the pieces of meat on quite a high heat until they start to brown. Stir to ensure that the meat browns on all sides Fry the meat in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. Once the meat has browned, remove it to a plate and set it aside.
4. 4Fry the bacon lardons in the same pan. You shouldn't need any extra oil. Stir the lardons until they have released their oil and are turning brown, then add the sliced mushrooms. Continue to stir fry until the mushrooms start to turn brown, and then transfer them to the steak on the plate.
5. 5--- Vegetables ---
6. 6Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan (if necessary) and stir fry the onions, carrots and celery for one minute. Add the shredded cabbage along with ¼ cup of water, turn the heat down and cover the pan with a lid.
7. 7Let the vegetables steam for about 10 minutes or until the cabbage has softened. Keep your eye on it and add another splash of water if it looks as though it's in danger of burning. You just want the vegetables to soften - not brown.
8. 8--- Gravy ---
9. 9While the vegetables are steaming, dissolve the stock cube in in a jug in 1½ cups of boiling water then add the red wine, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme and paprika. Don't add the salt just yet - you can season later if it's needed. And don't add the flour - this will be used for thickening later.
10. 10Add the stock to the softened vegetables and stir in the meat and mushrooms along with any juices that may be on the plate. Cover the pan with a lid and leave on a low simmer for one hour. Check occasionally to see that it doesn't boil dry. Top up with extra water if necessary.
11. 11Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.
12. 12If the gravy needs to be thickened, mix the flour to a smooth paste with two tablespoons of water and stir it gradually into the gravy while the pan is still on a low heat. You may not need all of the flour. The consistency of the gravy should be thick, but still pourable.
13. 13--- Assemble and bake ---
14. 14Transfer the meat mixture to a suitable pie dish and set it aside to cool.
15. 15Unroll the pastry. If you have bought a block of puff pastry rather than ready-rolled, roll the pastry out to approximtely one-eighths of an inch thickness. You will probably only need half a roll of pastry to top the pie with.
16. 16Top the cooled pie with the pastry and use your thumb to press it onto the rim of the pie dish.
17. 17Make a few holes in the pastry with a fork to allow the steam to escape as the pie is cooking and brush the pastry with beaten egg.
18. 18Bake the pie in a hot oven (200C / 400F) for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden.
19. 19Serve with freshly steamed vegetables, and optionally rice or mashed potatoes.