Recipe of the Week: Meat Pie

You cannot have a Australian recipe month without the humble meat pie. This hand size meat and gravy filled pastry is so perfect that it’s even celebrated in Australian folk songs: ‘Meat pie and tomato sauce, same again for the second course’.

The meat pie was described by former New South Wales Premier Bob Carr in 2003 as Australia’s “national dish” and indeed, national things are described as being ‘as Australian as football and meat pies!’ This is apt since the meat pie  is heavily associated with Australian Rules Football; it’s one of the most popular consumed food items whilst watching a game. Per head of population Australian’s consume 12 store bought meat pies a year and most make their own version of the dish as well. In our household we turn all leftover stews, goulash, chilli and pasta sauces into pies and pop them in the freezer to be eaten as lunches at a later date.

Note: If you are going to freeze them for later blind bake the bottom crust for about 8 min, add filling and then top with puff pastry. Then pop them straight into individual freezer bags. When you go to use them you must defrost naturally or the microwave before you bake at 180°C until golden.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded, finely diced

1/2 green pepper, deseeded, finely diced

1 clove garlic

750g lean beef mince

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon cornflour

1/2 beef stock cube

50ml tomato ketchup

25ml Worcestershire sauce

25ml barbecue sauce

A handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Ready-made shortcrust pastry, for base

Ready-made puff pastry, for top

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

Directions

1. 1. Heat half the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Lightly brown onion, then add red and green peppers. Cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and immediately remove mixture from pan.
   2. Brown the mince breaking up the mince as it cooks. Add tomatoes and stockcube then put back your cooked veg mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until thick.
   3. Combine cornflour and a little water to form a paste. Add to mince with sauces and parsley. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 8 minutes or until  very thick.
   4. Cool mixture then refrigerate until cold.
   5. Place a baking tray into a preheated oven and heat to 220°C. Greace a large 6 hole muffin trays (you can use pie tins if you have them). Cut shortcrust pastry to line the muffin forms a little larger than the form.  Brush lightly with egg.
   6. Spoon mince mixture into pastry to fill the form. Brush pastry edges with water. Cut puff pastry into rounds just bigger than your pie form. Place over mince. and press down to seal. Brush with egg.
   7. Place pies onto hot tray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Serve.

Want more fantastic recipes? Check out our Expat’s Cookbook!

Recipe: Mia Donovan

Photo Credit: andhong09