Individual Beef Pies Food

INDIVIDUAL BEEF PIES

Steps:

• For the pastry, put the butter, lard and 150ml water in a pan and bring to the boil, making sure the lard and butter have melted. Meanwhile, sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the 2 beaten eggs to the well and sprinkle over enough flour to cover the egg. Pour the just-boiled butter and water mixture around the edge of the flour and mix quickly with a wooden spoon until combined and smooth. Knead briefly, then wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, gently heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and garlic for 10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Toss the steak in the flour, add to the pan along with the remaining oil, increase the heat and brown all over, in batches if necessary.
• Return the softened onion and garlic to the pan with all the steak. Add the thyme and bay leaf, pour over the ale and stock, then stir in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil, cover, then simmer gently for about 1 hour 45 minutes until the meat is tender. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Transfer the pie filling to a bowl and cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Reserve one-third of the pastry for lids, re-wrap in cling film and keep in the fridge. Divide the rest into 6 equal pieces. Roll or press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into 17cm circles. Lightly grease 6 x 220ml metal pudding basins with oil. Line each one with a pastry circle, using your fingers to press it evenly around the sides - work the pastry up over the edge. Chill uncovered in the fridge for 40 minutes to harden.
• Divide the cooled filling among the cases. Take the reserved pastry and divide into 6. Press each piece out to a circle large enough to make a lid. Make a hole in the centre of each (for steam to escape). Dampen the edges of the pastry with water. Lay the circles over the cases and seal all around the edge with your fingers. Crimp the edges and brush the tops all over with beaten egg.
• Bake for 40 minutes (covering with foil if the pastry browns too quickly) until the pastry is golden and crisp, and the filling is piping hot. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes. Carefully remove from the moulds. Serve with mash.

MINIATURE MEAT PIES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in chili sauce and soup mix; set aside. , In a large bowl, combine the flour, sesame seeds if desired, and salt. Cut in shortening and cheese until crumbly. Combine milk and vinegar; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. , Divide dough in half; roll out to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a lightly floured 2-1/2-in. round cutter. Place half of the circles 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; top each with a rounded tablespoonful of beef mixture. Top with remaining circles. Moisten edges with water and press with a fork to seal. Cut a slit in the top of each. , Bake at 425° until golden brown, 12-16 minutes. Serve immediately., Freeze option: Freeze cooled pies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bake, from frozen, on an ungreased baking sheet at 425° until heated through, 14-16 minutes.

BEEF POT PIES

Steps:

• Melt the butter with the olive oil in a heavy pot. Sear the meat over medium-high heat in batches until brown, 4 to 5 minutes; remove to a plate.
• Add the carrots, celery and shallots and saute until the vegetables start to wilt, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the mustard, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the flour and saute for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine, beef broth and 1 cup water. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir. Bring to a boil. Return the browned meat to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Add the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, then cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
• After 45 minutes, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons flour with a little water and pour into the stew. Cook and thicken for 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry sheets one by one to get rid of the creases. Set a 6- to 8-inch ovensafe skillet upside down on a pastry sheet and cut a circle around it, making it 1/2 inch larger than the dish. Repeat with the remaining 5 skillets using all of the pastry sheets; discard the scraps.
• Put the 6 skillets onto 2 baking sheets and fill the skillets with the cooled beef mixture. Sprinkle over some chopped bacon and 1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley on each.
• Top each skillet with a pastry circle, pressing along the edges to seal. Mix together the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Brush each pastry lid with the egg wash. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

DAD'S BEEF, MUSHROOM & MUSTARD PIES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 mins. Meanwhile, season the beef and toss with the flour and mustard powder. Push the onions to the edge of the pan and add the beef. Brown the meat, then add the purée and cook for 2 mins more. Add the remaining filling ingredients, except the mushrooms. Season, stir well, then cover and simmer for 2 hrs, stirring occasionally.
• Add the mushrooms and cook without a lid until the mushrooms are soft and the liquid has reduced to a thick gravy, about 10 mins. Leave to cool while you make the pastry.
• Tip the flour, mustard powder, suet, cheddar and ½ tsp salt into a food processor. Blitz until there are no visible lumps of suet, then dribble in all but 1 tsp of the egg (you'll need this for glazing the top) and enough water, 1 tbsp at a time, to bring the mixture together as a dough. Tip onto a floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Remove ¼ of the pastry, wrap in cling film and set aside. Divide the remaining pastry into 2 lumps, on a lightly floured surface, roll out to approximately 0.5cm thickness, and use each piece to line a 500ml pie tin, leaving some pastry hanging over the edges. If you want to cook the pies now, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• When the filling has cooled down, divide the mixture between the 2 cases. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out 2 lids to fit, saving the trimmings. Brush the inside edges of each pie with a little egg, then press on the top. Trim the overhanging edges and crimp to seal. Brush the top of the pies with more egg and cut a small air hole in the top of each one. Use the pastry trimmings to decorate.
• Put the pies on a baking tray, and bake for 45 mins until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is hot. Alternatively, cover the uncooked pies with cling film and freeze for up to 2 months. Cook from frozen at 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6 for 1 hr. Serve with carrots and broccoli, if you like.

MINI SHEPHERD'S PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, cook and crumble beef with onion and garlic over medium heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; drain. Stir in chili sauce and vinegar. , In a small saucepan, combine water, cream cheese and butter; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in potato flakes., Separate biscuits; press each onto bottom and up sides of a greased muffin cup. Fill with beef mixture; top with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with potato chips. , Bake until topping is golden brown, 20-25 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with paprika.Freeze option: Freeze cooled pies in a single layer in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated 375° oven until heated through, 15-18 minutes.

INDIVIDUAL BEEF POT PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Boil prepared potatoes and carrots in a Dutch oven until tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile --.
• Melt butter in large saucepan over medium to medium low heat.
• Add chopped onions and cook until onions are soft and translucent.
• Sprinkle flour over butter/onion mix, stirring constantly, about 4-5 minutes.
• (This is an important step. Not cooking long enough will make the gravy have a "floury" taste).
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add broth and milk, stirring constantly.
• Bring to a slow boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Add potatoes, carrots, thawed peas, and shredded beef to gravy and mix thoroughly.
• Let mixture cool thoroughy.
• Line ramekins with bottom pie dough.
• Fill ramekins and cover with top crust, pinching edges to create a seal.
• Brush with beaten egg.
• Create slits in top crust with a butter knife.
• Bake about 35 minutes until golden brown.
• Enjoy.