Do you have a boyfriend? A father? A brother? A guy friend? An uncle? A grandad? If you have anyone of these relations stop what you are doing right now and read this blog entry.
The reason I want you to stop what you are doing, is because we all know boys like their pies! But these are not just ordinary pies, these are artisan pies, everything made from scratch.
I made these one weekend, and when Dad arrived home he saw them there sitting on the kitchen bench and he couldn't help but try one. It soon escalated from one to four.
If you wanna keep your boyfriend, impress your dad, keep your uncle happy or stop your brothers from picking on you, I highly recommend you make these. They are like a boys favourite food, but they are even tastier that they are crafted by hand.
I remember on my brothers birthday not too long ago, my dad and I didn't have a present for my brothers birthday. So my Dad packed half a dozen of these pies and put them in a tupperware. He loved his present and the next time we saw him he was handing us the tupperware back.
So I highly recommened make these for any male figure you have in your life! They really will appreciate them.
These pies are a bit labour intensive, so I recommend making at least a double batch which makes approximately 24. Because these pies are fine freezing. My dad when he takes one to work, he takes the frozen pies out of the freezer and lets it thaw out in his lunchbox. They are all ready by lunch.
I added some black poppy seeds on top because they give the pies a bit of a gourmet feel, when you pull these beauties out of your lunchbox, people won't be thinking you got it from the local diary.
These pair well with the kiwiana favourite, tomato sauce. But go easy because you don't want the tomato sauce to over power the pies flavours.
I am sad its the end of summer, these are the last crop of our summer tomatoes. I love cherry tomatoes so much, they are so dainty and so sweet. I could eat them by themselves!
I used a mild pale ale in my Beef beer Pies, I didn't want the alochol I used to over power the other flavours in the pie.
These pies are little beauties. Carry on reading to find out how to make them...
My design teacher, also known as Poppa Al said that the typical trademens lunch is a pie, a can of coke and a moro bar. He, himself used to eat this for his lunch. Well I can reassure you that these will be much nicer than a typical trademens lunch.
To find a photo tutorial on how to make puff pastry you can find it at this blog entry,
The night before make your puff pastry and shortcrust pastry.
Let the shortcrust pastry sit at room temperature for 30 mins. Begin rolling the pastry gently.
Grease muffin tins or small pie pans if you have them. I cut baking paper strips and lye them in crosses. This will really help at the end when taking them out of the tray.
When you have rolled your homemade shortcrust pastry to a 5cm thickness. Using a big circle cutter (or you can use a glass) cut a circle out of the pastry.
Transfer the pastry circle to the greased tin and pat into the moulds.
Prick the bases and sides of the pie shells. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Cut out baking paper circles and place onto the tart shells.
Pour the baking beans into the baking paper. Bake the shells for 15 mins. Remove the baking beans and bake the shells bare for 5 mins.
Begin making your filling. Pour olive oil into a pan.
Place chopped red onion into the hot oil in the frying pan.
Place chopped garlic into the pan and let the onion cook until soft and a bit transparent.
Cook the onion till a bit transparent.
Add your minced beef.
I transferred the mixture from the frying pan to a pot because it was over flowing. Cook the mince until it breaks down and is nicely brown.
Add Worcestershire sauce to the mixture.
Add all your herbs at this point, including curry powder.
Now pour in your pale ale beer and let the mince mixture simmer on low heat.
Add flour and cook until the liquid in the mixture has thickened slightly. (approx 20 mins)
Pour the mince mixture into the tart shells. Careful not to over flow the shell cases.
Add cheese on top just a teaspoon.
Brush the rims of the pastry shells with an egg wash. This helps the top lid of pastry seal to the body of the pie.
Roll out your puff pastry and cut circles the size of the muffin tin. Brush one side of the pastry with an egg wash. The egg wash side place on the filling. This helps seal the pastry on top and form a lid for the pie.
Place the puff pastry circles on top of the pies and brush with an egg wash. Press the of the circle so they seal to the tart shell.
Sprinkle poppy seeds on the tops of the pies for a finish garnish. Place in a preheated oven of 200 degrees and bake the pies until the tops are golden brown.
So I warned you it was labour intensive, making two different pastries and making the filling and than constructing the pie itself.
Here is the written recipe.
Recipe:
Beer Beef Pies
Ingredients:
1x quantity of shortcrust pastry
1x quantity of puff pastry
Filling
500g beef mince
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped red onion
5 gloves minced or chopped thinly
8 whole organic tomatoes (fresh or frozen)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce
1 Tablespoon tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons onion flakes
1 Tablespoon flour
300ml pale ale beer
1 teaspoon minced thyme
1 teaspoon sugar
Pepper and Salt for seasoning.
Egg glaze
1 egg
1 Tablespoon milk
Method:
Begin by letting your shortcrsut pastry sit at room temperature and thawing out. When it's soft begin rolling the pastry to 5cm thick.
Using a big cutter or a glass, cut out circles out of the pastry.
Line the muffins tins with baking paper strips and using an oil spray, just spray the sides and the bottom.
Prick the tart shells witha fork and place baking paper circles into the shell.
Pour blind baking beans into each tart shell.
Bake for 15 mins in a preheated oven of 180 degrees.
Remove from the oven and remove the baking paper and beans and bake for a further 5 mins.
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Prepare your filling by putting oil into a frying pan and heating gently.
Pour your chopped onion into the frying pan and add chopped garlic cloves. Cook until they are just transparent.
Add your beef mince and transfer the mixture into a pot, so it is easier to stir.
Begin stirring your mixture until the mince remains in small lumps and is brown.
Add your sauces, powders, herbs and tomatoes and mix until well combined.
Add your pale ale beer and flour and cook until the liquid in the mixture thickens up. Approx 20 mins.
Place spoonfuls of mince mixture in the tart shells and top with a small handful of cheese.
Roll out your puff pastry and cut small circles out of the pastry to fit the pie shells.
With your egg glaze and a pastry brush begin brushing your egg wash on the rims of the pie shell.
Paint the backs of the puff pastry circles and place the moist egg washed size onto the mince.
Use your fingers to seal the the edges of the pie.
Glaze the tops of the puff pastry and sprinkle poppy seeds onto the tops of the pies.
Bake in a preheated oven of 200 degrees until golden brown.
I wish you good luck on these pies, they sure are labour of love!
Until next time lovelies...
