Steak and Mushroom Pie

My family have always had a thing about Australia and New Zealand. Maybe because my cousins live in Australia. Maybe because we had two wonderful whirl-wind trips to New Zealand when we were little. Regardless, we all talk often of going back. But it's a long way and its expensive, so we're not sure it'll ever happen.

But in the mean time, we've developed a soft spot for a traditional Australian favourite. Steak and mushroom pie. It's a recipe I dug out of an old Australian cook book of my mum's a couple of years ago, and it's one that my brothers request regularly. It's good, hearty, comforting food, ridiculously simple to make and exceptionally tasty.



Serves 6
plain flour for dusting
nutmeg
salt and pepper
1.25kg chuck steak, cut into dice.
250g button mushroom, quartered
2tbsp mixed chopped herbs
1tbsp ketchup
1tbsp brown sauce
500-600ml beef stock
1 sheet puff pastry (200g)
1 egg yolk

Set oven to 200°C
Mix the flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper together in a shallow bowl. Dust the steak pieces with flour so that each is completely coated and place in a pie dish.
Sprinkle over the chopped herbs, then put in the mushrooms.
Pour in the beef stock until it just covers the meat and mushrooms, then stir in the ketchup and brown sauce.
Cover with puff pastry, and brush this with the egg yolk.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden. Remove and cover with aluminium foil, then put back into the oven at 185°C for two hours.
Serve straight from the dish.