Ingredients

• 175g/6oz plain flour
• pinch salt
• 65g/2¼oz cold
• unsalted butter
• cut into 5-10mm/¼-½in cubes
• 65g/2¼oz cold lard
• cut into 5-10mm/¼-½in cubes
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1kg/2lb 4oz buffalo stewing steak
• cut into 4-5cm/2in cubes
• 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 25g/1oz unsalted butter
• 12 shallots
• peeled but left whole
• 2 large carrots cut into 2cm/1in slices
• 2 tsp mushroom ketchup
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 300ml/10½fl oz ale or stout
• 300ml/10½fl oz beef stock
• few sprigs thyme
• 1 tsp soft dark brown sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• for glazing

Directions

• To make the flaky pastry
• combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Put the butter and lard in a separate bowl
• mixing them together loosely.
• Take one quarter of the mixed fats and rub them into the flour lightly with your fingertips.
• Combine the lemon juice with 130ml/4fl oz water and mix lightly into the flour to form a very soft dough.
• Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to a rectangle
• about 10x30cm/4x12in.
• Take another quarter of the mixed fats and dot evenly over the top two-thirds of the pastry rectangle.
• Now fold the empty bottom third up and the top third down over it
• as if folding a letter.
• Turn the dough 90 degrees and seal the edges by pressing down with your fingers.
• Roll out the dough and repeat the dotting and folding three times to use all of the fat.
• Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling out and using.
• To make the filling
• put the flour in a large bowl and season it generously with salt and pepper. Toss the meat in the flour until evenly coated.
• Heat a tablespoon of oil and the butter in a flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Working in batches
• brown the meat well all over
• adding a dash more oil if you need to. Transfer the browned meat to a dish.
• Lower the heat under the pan
• add a little more oil if necessary and add the shallots and carrots. Fry gently for a couple of minutes
• until the shallots are just starting to soften. Return all the meat to the pan. Add the mushroom ketchup and tomato purée and cook for another two minutes.
• Pour in the ale and stock then add the thyme and sugar. Bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat
• cover with a lid and simmer gently for an hour or until the meat is very tender.
• Transfer the meat to a 1.5 litre/2½ pint pie dish and leave to cool completely. (If there is a lot of liquid
• keep some of it back to serve as gravy).
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• On a floured surface
• roll out the pastry to 3mm thickness (about the thickness of a £1 coin).
• Cut off a 2cm/1in strip of pastry. Dampen the rim of the pie dish with water and press the pastry strip onto the rim.
• Cut the remaining pastry a little larger than the pie dish. Sit a pie funnel in the centre of the filling. Press the lid over the top and crimp the edges. Trim away the excess pastry.
• Brush the pastry with beaten egg and make a steam hole exposing the funnel. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown. Leave to settle for 10-15 minutes before serving.