Onions make an important contribution to the filling of pies, providing a sweet balance for the savoriness of the meat and a necessary change of texture, too. A meat pie with no onions would be hard going. I rarely make a meat pie. It is one of those recipes I reserve for a cold autumn day, when it’s too wet to go out.
Recipe information
Yield
enough for 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the steak into a china or stainless-steel bowl, add the thyme, rosemary, and bay, and pour in the red wine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the kidney into large, bite-sized pieces removing any fat or sinew. Toss it in the flour with the drained steak (reserve the marinade). Melt the butter in a deep pan and add the floured meat. Let it sizzle for a minute or two. As soon as it is lightly browned on all sides, add the onions, letting them soften for a few minutes, then the mushrooms, cutting them into quarters as you go. Pour in the reserved marinade and the stock, season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid, and let simmer for a good hour and a half, until the sauce is like a thick gravy. Let cool.
Step 3
Put the filling into a pie dish, or divide among four small dishes. Roll out the pastry, then cut off strips to cover the rim of the dish. For the large pie, you may need to put a pastry funnel, eggcup, or tumbler in the dish to hold up the pastry. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg and press the pastry strips into place. Now brush that with beaten egg, then lower the pastry lid or lids into place. Cut a slit in the top for the steam to escape and bake for forty to fifty minutes, until golden.
