Meat and 3 Veg Pie

I often joke that our Party of 11 came from the meat and 3 veg family. Not that there's anything wrong with that. We still love our meat and veggies and eat them often.

It's actually a bit unfair to my Mum though. She did make Spaghetti Bolognese every Tuesday and took us for Sweet and Sour Pork and Honey Chicken at the local Chinese on occasion. It was a proper local Chinese restaurant and all. With those big flat pink fish in the aquariums at the front desk, the ivory carvings on the walls and those massive lazy susans on the tables. Remember those days? Does anyone still eat in Chinese restaurants anymore? Are they still decorated the same way?

So many questions, leading me right off topic. Back to the meat and 3 veg.



My point was, we never had anything very exotic as far as food was concerned growing up. Nowadays, I see really little kids sitting at Sushi trains eating things I didn't even knew existed until a few years ago. And good on them - as long as the little buggers stay away from my Grilled Salmon Nigiri!

I'm really getting off topic now, aren't I? Back to the meat and 3 veg.

So, here it is. In a pie. With red wine and puff pastry.

Which makes it way more exotic, don't you think?

Beef and Vegetable Pie 

It's an entire dinner in a Pie. What more could you want, except the same in a stick of chewing gum!

Ingredients

1 kg Gravy Beef (or strips if you prefer)
2 packets Masterfoods Slow Cooker Beef and Red Wine Casserole recipe base
4 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 cup Red Wine
2 Tbsp Mixed Herbs
3 Carrots
1 1/2 cups Frozen Peas
Salt and Pepper to taste
3-4 cups Mashed Potato (preferably with milk and butter)
1 packet frozen Puff Pastry
1 egg

Instructions

1. Defrost the pastry.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. In a large fry pan, brown the beef and add the recipe base, tomato paste and red wine. Stir through thoroughly.
4. Mix through the herbs and salt and pepper.
5. Add the carrots and leave to simmer until they are softened and the meat is cooked through.
6. In the meantime, make the mashed potato.
7. Mix the peas through the meat mixture and simmer until they are softened.
8. Line a 24cm loose-based tin with the defrosted pastry. Cut circles for the top and bottom of the pie the same size as the tin and line the sides with long rectangular pieces. Be careful to join each of the pieces well and avoid any holes.
9. Fill the pie with the meat and vegetable mixture, then spread the mashed potato over the top.
10. Place the pastry circle for the top of the pie over the mashed potato, joining the pastry sides. Be careful not to leave any holes.
11. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and brush it over the top of the pie.
12. Bake the pie until the pastry is puffed and browned, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Meat and 3 Veg Pie. Photographs ugly but tastes beautiful!