Ingredients

Method

• 175 g cake flour
• 100 g chilled butter, grated
• ½ t salt
• 2 T iced water
For the filling
• 1 kg bone-in beef shin, cubed and bones reserved
• 4 T cake flour
• 4 T canola oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 T tomato paste
• 4 T Worcester sauce
• 1 x 340 ml bottle or can of beer
• 500 ml beef stock
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 12 cipollini onions
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 free-range egg
• 65 ml milk

Method

Ingredients

To make the pastry, place the flour and butter into a large mixing bowl and rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the salt and water and knead on a clean, floured surface to form a ball. Cover in clingwrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Remove the clingwrap from the dough and roll out on a clean, floured surface, making sure that the dough is slightly larger than the circumference of a 24 cm pie dish. Cut out a round of dough to form the lid of the pie and chill while you make the filling.

To make the filling, dust the cubed meat in the flour. Heat half the canola oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and brown the meat and bones in small batches, adding the remaining oil as you go. Set aside the browned meat.

Add the shallots, carrots, bay leaves and thyme to the same pan used to brown the meat. Soften the shallots slightly, then add the tomato paste, Worcester sauce and beer.

Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any meat.

Add the beef stock and return the meat and bones to the pan. Season to taste, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 2 hours. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Remove the marrow from the bones, add to the filling mixture and discard the bones.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Place the cipollini onions (see below) on a baking tray, coat with the extra virgin olive oil and roast for 45 minutes. 10 Place the filling in the pie dish and top with the slow-roasted cipollini onions.

Cover with the pastry. Beat the egg and milk and brush over the pastry. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.

Cook’s note: This pastry can also be made in a food processor. Blend the flour and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then add the egg and water and blend again. As soon as the dough comes together, knead into a ball, cover with clingwrap and chill.

If you prefer not to add the beer, leave it out and add Port-style fortified wine or extra stock.

Cipollini onion is the golden onion of Spain - sweet and delicious. They're not as strong as white onions. It works well in salads and salsas. It can also be slow-roasted and served whole. They are available at selected Woolworths stores but if you can't find them, use baby onions or shallots.

Discover more pie recipes here.