Meat and potato pie

With all great pies, this takes some preparation and time. But it’s well worth it in the end. You can even do it all the day before and assemble cold.

500g Good quality diced beef

1 large onion - sliced 

1 bay leaf - fresh 

1 ltr beef stock

2 tbsp flour

Salt & pepper

3 - 4 large potatoes - diced

Suet Crust:

200g SR flour

100 g suet (beef or veg, both work just as well)

200ml water

Start by putting your potatoes on to boil. You want them cooked, but not falling apart. Once cooked, drain and set to one side.

In a mixing bowl, add the diced beef flour, salt and pepper. Mix together, ensuring all meat is coated.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat some oil and fry off your beef. It’s best to do this in stages, so the pan isn’t overloaded. Turn meat until it’s all sealed(The outside of the beef is cooked). 

Remove the meat and set aside, add the sliced onions to the pan and fry off until soft and slightly coloured, deglaze the pan with a splash of water. Add the beef back to the pan, add the bay leaves and cover with stock. Bring to the boil then reduce to simmer for 1 - 2 hours. It should be tender and flake apart. Adding more water if needed. The meat should be covered throughout. At this point you can thicken up your beef with a bit of gravy powder - thicken to your own liking.

Add the potatoes to a roasting dish. Using a slotted spoon, spoon over the beef and onion mix. Spread evenly over the potatoes. Pour over ⅓ of the gravy. Keep the rest to serve with 

In a mixing bowl, add the flour and suet and mix through with water until you have a ball of dough. Tip out onto a floured surface and roll out. You want it 1-2 cm thick and enough to cover your pie. Lay over the pi mix and trim off any excess.

Cook in a preheated oven gas mk 6/ 200 DEG. Cook until the pastry is golden brown.. 

Serve.