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Minced Beef and Cheese Pie

Introduction & method

I first came across this seemingly bizarre combination of ingredients when I was asked to supply some 'Australian' pies to a pub in Madrid. They really are yummy!

Minced Beef and Cheese Pie Recipe

Make the Pastry


I'm using hot water pastry to make these pies. Cut the lard into small cubes and add them to a small pan with the boiling water. Heat until the lard has melted.

Mix together the flour and salt, and then stir in the lard and water. Tip the dough out onto a worktop and knead until the dough is smooth.

Wrap in plastic film and leave to cool completely.

Make the Filling


Peel and chop the onion quite small. Fry in oil on medium heat until they are just beginning to brown. Add the minced beef, break it up with a spatula and keep turning until it is browned all over.

Add the stock, salt, pepper and parsley and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste it and adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Assemble and Bake the Pies


Heat your oven to 200°C (392°F) fan, 220°C (428°F) conventional, gas 7. You'll need 4 individual pie dishes. Coat the insides with flour. Roll out a little under half of the pastry to a thickness of 4-5 mm, about a quarter of an inch. Use a cutter or a small bowl that's about the same diameter as the pie dishes, and cut out 4 discs for the lids. 

Roll out the rest of the pastry and cut into 4 rough squares that are big enough to form the pie cases with a bit left over at the rim. Dust one side of the pastry liberally with flour, and press a piece into each pie dish. Use your thumbs to make sure the pastry goes right down to the bottom of the dish. Trim off any excess pastry around the rim.

Fill the pies with the meat filling, leaving a space of about 1cm (about half an inch) at the top. Grate the cheese and place a generous pile in each pie. Save a couple of teaspoons of cheese for decoration.

Press a lid onto the top of each pie, squeezing tightly around the edge to form a good seal. Do any kind of crimping that you like, and brush the tops with beaten egg. Sprinkle a bit of cheese near the edge, put them on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Let them cool for 5-10 minutes before removing them from their tins. In Australia these are usually served floating in mushy peas or pea soup, and possibly with a dollop of ketchup.



The video above is from the Keef Cooks YouTube channel. Click here to see the video recipe of Minced Beef and Cheese Pie on YouTube.

 

Ingredients & Info


PASTRY
 500 grams plain white flour
 200 grams lard
 250 ml boiling water
FILLING
 250 grams minced beef
 500 grams beef stock
 1 medium onion
 200 grams strong cheese such as cheddar
 pinch of salt
 half a tsp ground black pepper
 1 tsp parsley

PLUS

Beaten egg to glaze the pies. Oil for frying.


UNITS:
Metric
US Customary/Imperial

Makes 4 pies
Prep time: 15 minutes.
cooling time: 1 hour.
Cooking time: 45 minutes.
Total time: 2 hours.