Chunky Beef & Mushroom Pie

Directions

• Prepare beef stock.
• Chop the beef, mushrooms, and onion into 1″ chunks.
• Chop 3 carrots into chunks and finely slice the remaining 1 carrot.
• Season beef with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tbsp of oil and cook the beef on high heat until the colour changes (see notes). Set beef aside.
• In the same pan, add a little more oil and saute onions and garlic for 2 minutes on medium-low heat.
• Add finely chopped carrots. Cook for 6 minutes (until the carrots soften).
• Add carrot chunks and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add flour and stir.
• Add stock and stir to dissolve flour.
• Add thyme, bay leaf, and beef. Bring to simmer and then cover and cook on gentle simmer for 1 hr 45 min (or until the beef is tender).
• In a separate frying pan cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes.
• Add the cooked mushrooms to the stew. Simmer stew uncovered for 15 minutes (or until mushrooms are tender).
• When the pie filling (aka stew) is ready, leave it to cool to room temperature. Or you can refrigerate at this point.
• Preheat oven to 200C.
• Roll out the pastry and place on a pie dish.
• Scoop in the meat filling and cover with the remaining rolled out pastry.
• Brush the pie with egg yolk.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes. The pie filling should be sizzling and pastry a nice golden colour.