Ingredients

  • 900g stewing beef, diced
  • 25g flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • 100g butter
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
  • 150g button mushrooms
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 400ml good quality ale
  • 500ml beef stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
  • 300g ready-made rolled puff pastry

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas Mark 7. Pour the flour into a bowl and season well. Coat the meat with the seasoned flour. Heat half the butter in a heated pan and add the meat, searing all over until golden brown.

Add vegetables, herbs, ale and stock. Cover with a lid and gently simmer for one hour.

When cooked, season, add remaining butter and pour into an ovenproof dish. Brush the edge of the dish with the beaten egg.

Place pastry over the dish, pinching the edges so that it sticks. Trim off any remaining pieces from around the edge. Brush the pastry top thoroughly with the remaining beaten egg and place on a baking tray. Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown on top.