Rustic steak and mushroom pie

Ingredients:

• 2 sheets shortcrust pastry
• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 800g beef rump steak (with most fat removed), diced
• 1 cup button mushrooms, peeled and sliced
• 1 onion
• 1/2 cup liquid vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup red wine (I used Jacob’s Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2009)
• 2 tabs salt-reduced gravy powder (roast beef flavour, or similar)
• 1 tab cornflour
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C (fan-forced) or 200° C (convection).
2. Grease and flour a pie dish. If using frozen pastry, put the sheets out to thaw.
3. Place a sheet of shortcrust pasty in the dish. Fill in any gaps with the second pastry sheet.
4. Trim the pastry in the dish, leaving a 2 cm overhang.
5. Cover with baking paper, and use either pastry beads or rice to weigh down the pastry.
6. Blind bake the pastry for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
7. Dice the onion and fry in a pan until soft and clear.
8. Add the meat and wine to the pan. Cook until just brown, then add the mushrooms.
9. Allow meat to cook for a further 2 minutes at low heat, stirring occasionally.
10. Without draining the pan, scoop out the meat, mushrooms and onion and set aside.
11. In the same pan, add gravy powder to the remaining liquid and stir.
12. Add vegetable stock gradually, stirring constantly, until desired consistency is achieved.
13. Taste and check if the gravy needs salt. Add pepper (and salt if required).
14. If gravy is not thickening scoop some liquid from the pan to a cup, add the cornflour and stir until smooth. Return the liquid to the pan and stir well.
15. Once gravy is thick, return the meat mixture to the pan and stir until combined.
16. Pour the meat and gravy mixture into the pie crust.
17. Place a puff pastry sheet on top of the pie (you may need 2 sheets to cover the pie).
18. Trim edges and push them down with the prongs of a fork.
19. Cut leftover puff pastry into 3 leaf shapes, and place in centre of pie to decorate.
20. Use a skewer to make a hole in the middle of the pie for air to escape.
21. Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
22. Allow pie to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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