You know the person who makes their own homemade pies? That's you, you're that person. With this recipe for golden-topped, rich beef pie you'll be serving up bowls of slow-simmered goodness so layered with lusciousness you'll need to pinch yourself to believe your own mastery.
SERVES 4
Supplied Ingredients
800g chuck steak
1 brown onion
200g Swiss brown mushrooms
4 celery stalks
2 carrots
2 beef stock cubes
100g tomato paste
1 tbs Italian kitchen herbs
1 bunch cavolo nero
16 sheets filo pastry*
120g mixed salad leaves
*Extra supplied, measured amount
Pantry Ingredients
3 tbs plain flour
60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
60g butter
Equipment
large saucepan
6 litre slow cooker
large roasting or pie dish
STEP 1: BROWN BEEF
Pre-heat slow cooker to high and cover with a lid. Cut beef into 4cm pieces, dust with flour and season with 1 teaspoon salt flakes and pepper, tossing well to coat. Heat 1/2 the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add beef and cook for 5–6 minutes or until browned all over. Remove from pan and place in slow cooker.
STEP 2: PREPARE VEGETABLES
Dice onion into 2cm pieces. Halve mushrooms. Cut celery into 2cm pieces. Cut carrots into rounds. Dissolve stock cube in 500ml (2 cups) boiling water.
STEP 3: COOK VEGETABLES
Reduce heat to medium and add remaining oil, onion, celery, carrot and mushroom to pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until softened. Add tomato paste and Italian kitchen herbs and bring to a simmer. Transfer to slow cooker with stock.
STEP 4: SLOW COOK BEEF
Cover slow cooker with lid and cook for 2½ hours or until beef is tender. Remove cavolo nero leaves from their stems, roughly chop and stir through pie filling.
STEP 5: ADD FILO PASTRY
Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced. When beef filling is almost ready, melt butter and use to brush 1 sheet of filo. Top with a second sheet and scrunch into a nest. Repeat with remaining sheets to make 8 nests. Transfer beef filling to pie dish, top with filo and brush with remaining butter. Transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.
STEP 6: PLATE UP
Divide pie between plates and serve with salad leaves drizzled with your favourite dressing.
