Beef and Cheddar Pie

Preparation time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 2 hours 10 mins

Serves 4

1 Tbsp olive oil
500g diced chuck steak

30g butter

200g mushrooms, thickly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 eschalots, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp plain flour

1/2 cup stout

1 cup beef stock

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Melted butter, for greasing

PASTRY

2 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp dry mustard powder

1½ cups finely grated tasty cheddar

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup iced water

Extra flour, for kneading

1 Tbsp milk, to glaze

1. Heat oil in a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add half the meat and cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Repeat with remaining meat and set aside. Heat butter in the same pan over a medium heat and cook mushroom, garlic and eschalot for 5 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned.
2. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, remove from heat and slowly add stout, stock and Worcestershire, stirring until combined. Return to the heat, add meat and stir until mixture comes to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 1 hour. Remove lid, stir and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until liquid has reduced and thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 4-cup-capacity pie plate or ovenproof dish with melted butter. Spoon meat-and-mushroom mixture into dish.
4. To make pastry, sift flour, baking powder and mustard powder into a bowl. Stir in cheese, season with salt and pepper, then make a well in the centre. Add water and stir until combined and mixture forms a soft dough. Lightly knead on a floured surface until smooth, then press out dough 5cm larger than the top of the pie dish. Brush rim of ovenproof dish with milk. Put dough on top of pie and make a slit in the dough. Trim excess dough and use your fingers to make a decorative edge. Brush top with milk. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden.