Ingredients

• 75g/3oz plain flour
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 750g/1½lb braising steak
• cut into 5cm/2in cubes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 shallots
• chopped
• 125g/4½oz baby onions (or small onions)
• peeled
• 400g/14oz carrots
• cut into large pieces
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 tbsp tomato purée
• 300ml/10fl oz ale
• 300ml/10fl oz hot beef stock
• 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made puff pastry
• rolled to 0.5cm/½in thickness
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• steamed vegetables of your choice
• to serve

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
• Sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the steak pieces in the seasoned flour.
• Heat an ovenproof casserole dish over a high heat
• add the steak pieces in batches and fry for 3-4 minutes
• or until golden-brown on all sides
• stirring regularly. Remove the cooked steak from the dish
• transfer to a warm plate and set aside. Repeat the process with the remaining steak pieces
• then set aside.
• Add the shallots
• onions and carrots to the emptied casserole and fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until just softened.
• Add the thyme
• bay leaves and tomato purée and stir well to combine.
• Add the ale and stir well
• scraping any sediment up from the bottom of the casserole using a wooden spoon.
• Return the browned steak pieces to the casserole
• add the hot stock
• stir well and bring the mixture to the boil.
• Transfer the dish to the oven and cook for 1½ hours
• or until the beef is tender and the gravy has thickened. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
• Increase the heat of the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• Divide the beef and gravy mixture among four small ovenproof dishes.
• Cut the pastry into four equal pieces
• each one big enough to cover the small pie dishes.
• Brush a little water around the rim of each small pie dish
• then place one piece of pastry over each pie and press the edges to seal the pastry to the dish.
• Brush each pie with a little beaten egg
• then place the pies in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes
• or until the pastry is pale golden-brown and has risen.
• To serve
• place the small pie dishes onto serving plates and spoon steamed vegetables of your choice alongside.