Shankley Pie

Shankley Pie

(Makes 10 pies)

Ingredients

For Filling

• 1kg Braising Steak
• 500g Steak Mince
• 200g Smoked Bacon (cubed)
• 180g Shallots/Onions (peeled and finely chopped)
• 180g Button/Chestnut Mushrooms (finely chopped)
• 1 small bunch fresh Tarragon
• 1.5 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 500ml Beef Stock
• Cornflour to thicken
• Seasoning to taste

For Pastry

• 650g Plain Flour
• 125g Margarine
• 125g Shortening
• Generous pinch of Salt
• 200ml Water

Method

1. In a hot pan seal off the pieces of braising steak and set aside in a large casserole or baking dish.

2. In another pan, fry off the bacon until crispy, add chopped onions and fry until tender.

3. Add chopped mushrooms to onion/bacon mix.

4. When all beef is sealed, add veg/bacon mix to the casserole.

5. Add steak mince and stock.

6. Cover with foil and bake in oven at 180C for two hours and 150C for a further four hours.

7. For the pastry put the flour and salt in a large bowl and add marge and shortening. Use your fingertips to rub marge and shortening into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining. Try to work quickly so that it does not become greasy.

8. Using a knife, stir in just enough of the cold water to bind the dough together.

9. Alternatively using a food processor, put the flour, marge, shortening and salt in the food processor and pulse until the fat is rubbed into the flour. With the motor running, gradually add the water through the funnel until the dough comes together. Only add enough water to bind it and then stop.

10. Wrap the dough in clingfilm as before and chill for 1hr before using. The pastry can be made up to two days ahead and kept in the fridge or frozen for up to a month.

11. Roll out the dough to the thickness of a one pound coin and cut out round pieces, for example using a saucer or pie cutter as template. The size is dependent on pie case you use. After you fill out the case there should be a small rim hanging over the sides.

12. Roll out the leftovers to make pie lids with a smaller pie cutter.

13. Fill the pies with four filling, then use egg wash to seal the lid on. Trim the excess and crimp the edges.

14. Cook pies in preheated oven at 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and place a flat baking tray in the oven. Make a few little slits in the centre of the pie, place on the hot baking tray, then bake for 40 minutes until golden. Leave the pie to rest for 10 minutes.