Ingredients

• 550g/1lb 4oz plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• ¾ tsp salt
• 550g/1lb 4oz unsalted butter
• soft enough to be pliable
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 500g/1lb 2oz beef stewing steak
• cut into 5cm/2in cubes
• 200g/7oz kidneys
• chopped
• 1 onion
• chopped
• 90g/3¼oz button mushrooms
• 90g/3¼oz chestnut mushrooms
• roughly chopped
• 8 small round shallots
• left whole
• 2 carrots
• cut into 3 pieces
• 4 sprigs thyme
• leaves picked
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 200ml/7fl oz dark ale
• 400ml/14fl oz beef stock
• hot
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• 2kg/4lb 8oz potatoes
• larger potatoes cut into quarters
• 150g/5½oz butter
• 150ml/5fl oz double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz peas
• fresh or frozen

Directions

• For the puff pastry
• put the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add 200ml/7fl oz water. Mix to combine and then tip out onto a floured work surface. Briefly knead to form a rough
• but evenly combined
• dough. Put the pastry in the fridge to rest for 1-2 hours.
• Meanwhile
• make the pie filling. Heat a lidded casserole or a large ovenproof pan over a high heat and add the oil. Once hot
• fry the steak for 3-4 minutes
• or until golden-brown on all sides (you may need to do this in batches). Add the kidneys and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the meat to a warm plate and set aside.
• Add the onion
• mushrooms
• whole shallots and carrots to the empty 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 meat to the casserole
• add the hot stock
• stir well and bring the mixture to the boil. Turn down the heat
• place a lid on the casserole and cook for 1½ hours
• or until the beef is tender and the gravy has thickened. Once cooked
• remove the pie filling from the dish and set aside to cool.
• Remove the puff pastry from the fridge and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the pastry out into a rectangle approximately 50x30cm/20x12in. Slice the butter and lay this over two-thirds of the dough. Fold the unbuttered dough third over the buttered one
• then flip that over the remaining buttered third so that the butter is wrapped inside the dough. Take a rolling pin and lightly roll the upper surface of the dough to press out any air bubbles. Seal the edges with a sharp whack of the rolling pin.
• Turn the pastry by 90 degrees (a quarter turn) and fold the bottom third of the pastry up
• then the top third down. Roll the pastry out towards the folded edges until it measures roughly 60x25cm/23x10in
• then fold the pastry in by thirds again. Give the pastry a further two turns. Wrap the pastry in cling film and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
• To cook the pie
• preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
• Put the beef and gravy mixture in a 23cm/9in diameter round ovenproof dish. Roll out the pastry to 1cm/â…“in thickness and cut the pastry into a circle slightly bigger than the pie dish. Brush a little water around the rim of the pie dish
• then place the pastry over the filling and press the edges to seal the pastry to the dish. Brush the pie with a little beaten egg
• put the pie in the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes
• or until the pastry is pale golden-brown and has risen.
• Meanwhile
• for the mashed potatoes boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes
• or until tender. Drain and put the potatoes back in the saucepan over the heat to remove excess moisture. Mash the potatoes. Heat the butter and cream in a saucepan until the butter is melted. Add to the mash and beat well until soft and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
• Boil the peas for 2-3 minutes and then drain.
• To serve
• put a spoonful of the pie on each plate with the mash and peas alongside.