Beefsteak Pie (Another Recipe)

Ingredients

• 1.25 seers (approx. 1.25 kg / 2.75 lbs) Beefsteak (Cut into small bite-sized pieces. One seer is a traditional South Asian unit of weight equal to approximately 1 kg.)
• 0 a little (a small amount from the beef or lard) Fat (Use fat trimmed from the beef, or a small amount of lard. Just enough to add richness to the pie filling.)
• 0 enough to coat each piece of beef Flour (Plain all-purpose flour for dredging the beef pieces.)
• 0 to taste Pepper (Freshly ground black pepper preferred.)
• 0 to taste Salt (Season generously between layers.)
• 0 a little (a small pinch) Cayenne (Just a small pinch for a gentle heat.)
• 0 enough to half fill the pie dish Water or gravy (Use beef gravy if available for a richer flavour, or plain water.)
• 1 spoonful (approximately 1 tablespoon) Worcester sauce (or any other sauce preferred) (Adds depth and umami. Use any preferred sauce as a substitute.)
• 0 enough to cover the pie dish and form a border Paste (shortcrust or puff pastry) (Use ready-made shortcrust or puff pastry, or make your own. You will need enough to line the rim of the dish and cover the top completely, plus a little extra for decorative leaves.)
• 1 yolk Egg yolk (Beaten well. Used to glaze the pastry top to achieve a golden finish.)

Instructions

1. 1Place your beefsteak on a clean chopping board. Cut the meat into small, roughly equal bite-sized pieces (around 3–4 cm / 1.5 inches). Include a little fat with the meat — this can be fat naturally attached to the steak. Even-sized pieces ensure uniform cooking.
2. 2Spread a generous amount of flour on a flat plate or shallow bowl. Take each piece of beef and press it lightly into the flour, turning to coat all sides evenly. Shake off any excess flour. This coating helps thicken the pie juices as it cooks.
3. 3Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F / Gas Mark 6) — this is a hot oven. Place the flour-coated beef pieces into a pie dish in an even layer. If you have enough beef, add a second layer on top. Pile the meat slightly higher in the centre of the dish — this will help support and raise the pastry crust in the middle once baked.
4. 4As you layer the beef pieces into the pie dish, season each layer generously with pepper and salt, and add just a small pinch of cayenne. Do this between layers if you have more than one, ensuring the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the filling.
5. 5Carefully pour enough water or gravy into the pie dish to half fill it — do not overfill, as the liquid will bubble up during baking. Then add one spoonful (about 1 tablespoon) of Worcester sauce, or any other preferred sauce, and stir gently to combine with the liquid in the dish.
6. 6Lightly wet the rim (edge) of the pie dish with a little water using your finger or a pastry brush. Roll out your pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3–4 mm thickness. Cut a strip of pastry approximately 1–2 cm wide and long enough to go all the way around the rim of the dish. Press this strip firmly onto the wet rim of the dish, creating a border. This border helps the pastry lid adhere securely.
7. 7Using a pastry brush or your fingertip, lightly moisten the top of the pastry border you have just applied with a little water. Roll out enough pastry to cover the entire top of the pie dish with some overhang. Carefully lift the pastry and lay it over the dish, pressing the edges down gently onto the moistened border to seal.
8. 8Using a sharp knife, trim away any excess pastry hanging over the sides of the dish, cutting flush with the outer edge of the rim. This gives the pie a neat, clean finish. You can use a fork to press and crimp the edge further if desired for a decorative seal.
9. 9Gather the pastry trimmings and re-roll them lightly. Cut out simple leaf shapes using a small knife — make an oval shape and mark veins with the back of a knife. Arrange the pastry leaves on top of the pie lid in a decorative pattern, pressing them gently to adhere.
10. 10In a small bowl, beat the yolk of one egg well until smooth and slightly pale. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the egg yolk evenly over the entire surface of the pastry lid, including the decorative leaves. This will give the crust a beautiful golden colour when baked. Take care not to let the egg yolk drip down the sides of the dish.
11. 11Using the tip of a sharp knife, carefully make a small hole (about 1–2 cm) in the very centre of the pastry lid. This is a steam vent — it allows steam from the cooking filling to escape during baking, which prevents the pastry from becoming soggy or bursting open.
12. 12Place the pie dish in the centre of your preheated oven at 200°C (400°F / Gas Mark 6). Bake for approximately 40–50 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the steam vent. If the pastry begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent a piece of foil over the top for the remainder of the cooking time. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.