SIMPLE DISH: As James Martin puts it, this is basically a braised beef stew turned into a pie (Images: Alleko/Getty and Dan Jones/PA)
When is a pie not quite a pie? The answer is when there’s just a puff pastry lid. Not only is this easier to make, but you have all the advantages of a flaky golden top without the risk of a soggy bottom.
Celebrity chef, James Martin, has shared how to make a ‘foolproof and comforting’ beef and ale pie that’s ideal for this time of year. The recipe is taken from his new cookbook – James Martin’s Saturday Morning – inspired by his weekend cookery show on ITV.
“This is basically a braised beef stew turned into a pie,” he said. “We get a lot of letters and emails from people complaining that a pie isn’t a pie without a base! But this is such a simple dish.”
PIES PIES PIES
The hearty and warming pie has tender chunks of slow-cooked beef in a rich ale and red wine sauce, all wrapped in golden, flaky puff pastry. Serve with sweet, buttery carrots simmered with star anise.
James said: “For the beef, make sure you get big chunks – you don’t want the stewing beef that’s already cut up as the chunks are too small and they fall to bits in your stew. You want chunks and whole carrots, as you want to be able to taste everything.”
Beef pie with star anise carrots
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
- 2kg shin of beef, cut into large diced pieces
- 2 shallots, diced
- 250ml beer
- 500ml red wine
- A few sprigs of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 500g ready-made puff pastry
- Egg yolk, beaten
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the carrots:
- 400g whole carrots, peeled, with 1cm green tops left on
- 100g caster sugar
- 5 star anise
- 100g butter
Method:
- In a very large casserole dish, over a medium-high heat, fry the beef in batches until deeply coloured
- Season with salt and pepper, then pop it all back into the pan with the shallots, cover with the beer and wine and add the herbs
- Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for two to three hours, until the beef is very tender. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan
- Use the beef stew to fill a 20cm ovenproof pie dish
- Roll out the pastry to 2mm thick and slightly larger than the dish
- Brush the top edges of the dish with egg wash, then pop the pastry on, crimp and seal the edges and garnish with pastry leaves (cut from the pastry offcuts) and egg-wash these too
- Put the pie dish onto a baking tray (to avoid any overspill) and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until the pastry is risen and deep golden
- Meanwhile, pop all the ingredients for the carrots into a pan, bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, then simmer for 20 minutes until the carrots are tender. Serve with the beef pie.
Comforting food cookbooks 📚
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- Save 50% on James Martin’s Saturday Morning by James Martin, now £12.50 on Amazon. Comforting and foolproof recipes from easy one-pots and weeknight favourites to sweet treats and easy entertaining.
- Save 62% on Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Home Cooking by Gordon Ramsay, now £9.99 at at Books4People. Based on his Channel Four show, with more than 120 recipes from from weekday breakfasts through to Saturday night dinners.
- Save a third on Tom Kerridge’s Proper Pub Food by Tom Kerridge, now £15.79 on Amazon. More than 130 pub recipes with simple twists to make them sensational.
- Save 43% on Jamie’s Comfort Food by Jamie Oliver, now £16.99 on Amazon. From all-time favourites to cherished dishes from countries around the world.
Prices correct at the time of publication.
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