Red Wine-Braised Pepper Steak Pie

Method

1. Trim off any thick sinew and cut the beef into 2 cm cubes. Toss in a bowl with the flour, salt and half the pepper until coated, then shake off the excess.

   Add in this stepBeef chuck or brisket, in one piece 300 gPlain flour 2 tbspSalt ¾ tspCoarsely cracked black pepper ½ tsp

2. Heat the oil in a heavy 22 cm pot over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke, then add the beef without the pieces touching and sear for 6 min in total, turning, until deep brown. If the pot is crowded, work in two or three batches and set the browned meat aside on a plate.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1½ tbsp

   medium-high heat

3. Lower the heat to medium heat, add the butter and the chopped onion and garlic and cook for 5 min; add the tomato paste for the last minute and cook until brick-red.

   Add in this stepButter 15 gOnion 100 gGarlic cloves 2Tomato paste 1 tbsp

   medium heat

4. Pour in the wine and let it bubble over medium-high heat for 2 min, scraping the browned bits off the bottom, until reduced by half. Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves and the beef. When it boils, cover, lower to low heat and simmer for 1 h 30 min, stirring every 30 minutes. It's ready when the meat breaks apart easily under a fork.

   Add in this stepDry red wine 80 mlBeef stock 350 mlWorcestershire sauce 2 tspThyme sprigs 2Bay leaves 1

   medium-high heat→low heat

5. Uncover, remove the thyme stalks and bay leaves and reduce over medium heat for 6 min, until the sauce coats a spoon thickly. Stir in the rest of the pepper, taste, then transfer to a wide dish and cool completely (about an hour; you can chill it).

   Add in this stepCoarsely cracked black pepper ½ tsp

   medium heat

6. Heat the oven to 210 °C with an empty baking tray inside. Grease 2 × 12 cm pie tins and press in circles of shortcrust about 15 cm wide. Fill with the cold filling, brush the rims with egg, cover with puff pastry and seal with a fork. Cut a steam hole and brush with egg twice for extra shine.

   Add in this stepShortcrust pastry sheets 200 gPuff pastry sheets 100 gEgg (for egg wash) 1

7. Bake on the hot tray in the oven at 210 °C for 25 min, until the tops are deep golden and the bases crisp. Rest for 5 minutes before taking them out of the tins.

   oven