From the discussion on ABC Sydney with Renee Krosch this evening.

To follow in this blog are recipes for simple, delicious little meat pies, and also a stepped up version of little beef and beer pies with pea puree.

Little Meat Pies

These make an excellent savoury finger food for a party or as a lunchbox treat.

 Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

250g beef mince

1 small onion, peeled and diced

60g carrot peeled and diced

½ stick celery, diced

3 teaspoons tomato sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons chutney

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce, optional

2/3 cup water

½  teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cornflour mixed to a paste with a little cold water.

1 batch savoury shortcrust pastry

Method

 

Grease 24 scoop patty tin holes or 18 small muffin tins.

Heat the oil over a medium high heat.  Add the mince and cook until well coloured, stirring often.   Add the prepared vegetables and continue to cook a further 5 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 20 minutes.  Thicken with cornflour paste until desired consistency is reached.  Cool.

Turn oven to 200°C.

Cut one third from pastry and set aside while rolling out the other two thirds on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thickness, approximately.  Cut circles of pastry to fit the base of the patty tins.  Brush with a little beaten egg white, right out to the edges.

Fill each of the pastry cases with 2 teaspoons of the meat mixture.  Roll out the remaining third of pastry and cut circles to fit the tops.  Put in place and press edges together.  Prick each pie once with a fork.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until light golden and the pastry is crisp.  Leave to stand in tins for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

Mini Beef and Beer Pies with Pea Puree

Ingredients

1 egg yolk, whisked with 20ml cold water (for glaze)

1 egg white, lightly whisked for sealing pastry (see section “to assemble”)

For the pastry

250g plain flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

90g cold butter, diced

1 egg yolk, lightly whisked together with 80ml cold milk

2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry

For the filling

20ml olive oil

800g beef mince

100g rindless bacon, diced

1 onion, finely diced

½ teaspoon curry powder

30ml tomato sauce or relish

3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons soy sauce

½ teaspoon salt

375ml beer (virtually any sort)

3 to 4 teaspoons cornflour mixed to a thin paste with 40ml cold water

For the pea puree

400g fresh or frozen peas

2 spring oniond, white part only, chopped

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

125ml cream

Method

To make the pastry

Place the flour, salt and butter in a food processor and process until if resembles breadcrumbs (or rub together with the fingertips to this stage). 

Turn out into a bowl and mix with enough egg yolk/milk mixture to bring it together into a soft dough (do this with a metal spoon). 

Wrap in cling film and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

To make the filling

Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan and cook the beef with the bacon until well coloured.  Add the onion and curry powder and cook for 3 minutes more.

Add the sauces and relish, salt and beer.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes.  Thicken with some or all of the cornflour paste.  Cool.

To make the pea puree

Cook the peas in boiling water to which the salt has been added for 3 to 5 minutes until just tender.  Drain, and immediately plunge into cold water to hold the colour.  Cool slightly, then puree in the food processor with the spring onion, lemon juice, cream and egg white.

To assemble

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.  Grease 12 x 80ml capacity muffin trays.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to 5mm thick, approximately.  Cut circles from this, large enough to come up the base and sides. Brush with the lightly beaten egg white, right up to the edges.

Divide the meat mixture evenly between the tins. Top with a spoonful of the pea puree.

Cut circles from the thawed puff pastry sheets to fit amply over the top.  Crimp the edges to seal.  Brush tops with the egg yolk glaze.  Prick each pie twice with the tip of a sharp knife.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

Leave to stand 5 minutes before removing from tins.

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Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

2 kg tomatoes, diced

500g onions, diced

2 tablespoons salt

3 teaspoons mustard powder

3 teaspoons curry powder

500g sugar

750ml white or cider vinegar

1 tablespoon cornflour

😯 ml vinegar, extra

Method

Place all except the cornflour and extra vinegar in a large saucepan or jam pan.

Bring to the boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium and cook for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Sieve through a mouli or similar.

Return to heat and cook 30 minutes more.  If you think it needs a little thickening, stir in some or al of the cornflour paste and simmer 2 or 3 minutes more.

Pour into warm, sterilised jars or bottles and seal immediately.