MINI MEAT PIES

You cannot get more Aussie than this: meat pie is an iconic Australian dish and it had to be a part of my “Come have some Aussie tucker, mate!” 24×24 event.  You can get it almost anywhere and there are also shops that only sell these.  They can be made with different fillings (chicken and mushrooms is another popular kind) and, if made bigger, I would recommend you use chuck steak and that you cut it in small pieces.  I used minced beef as I thought the meat would get better distributed in my smaller pies.  And it did!  These came out yummy!  To get the “perfect” pie, you will need two different pastries: shortcrust for a tender base and puff pastry for a crispy lid.  They are to be served with tomato sauce (aka ketchup) and, if served as a main dish, some mash and peas.  Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Reader’s Digest

Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
500 gms – 1.1 lbs. minced beef
2 tbsp flour
80 ml – 1/3 cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
300 ml – 1 ¼ cups beef stock
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
Salt & Pepper
4 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
4 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

To make the filling, sauté the chopped onion with the extra virgin olive oil until soft and translucent.  Add the minced beef and cook, breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon, until the mince is brown.  Now sprinkle the flour over the meat and cook for 1 minute.  Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and keep aside to cool completely.

Cut out circles from the shortcrust pastry and use them to line the base and sides of muffin tins. Fill the pastry with the meat mixture.  Cut out circles from the puff pastry. Brush the shortcrust pastry edges of the pies with water and cover the top with the puff pastry circles, pressing and crimping the edges together.  Make a small cross in the centre of each pie with a sharp knife and brush with eggwash.

Bake in a pre heated oven at 200°C – 390°F for 10 minutes.  Then reduce the oven temperature to 180° C – 350°F and bake for 20 minutes more, or until puffed and golden.

Serve warm with tomato sauce (aka ketchup).

It is the end of the month again!  Which means it is time to check out the great round up that Nancy from Spicie Foodie has put together of some of the best recipes from the blogosphere!  Check out Your Best Recipe of April!  I am contributing my Eggplant & Tri-colour Goat Cheese Mille-Feuille on Couscous to it!  Have fun!

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