Hayashi Cheese Pot Pie

Method

1. Cut the beef into 3 cm pieces that fit on a spoon and season with half the salt and the pepper. Heat the oil in a 20 cm pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef for 2 min, just on the outside, then lift it out.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1½ tspBeef sirloin, thinly sliced 120 gSalt 1 pinchBlack pepper 1 pinch

   medium-high heat

2. In the same pot, cook the butter and thinly sliced onion over medium heat for 7 min, until light golden. Add the mushrooms and flour and stir for 2 min, until no dry flour remains.

   Add in this stepButter 14 gOnion 120 gButton mushrooms 60 gPlain flour 12 g

   medium heat

3. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom, then add the tomato paste, stock, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and the rest of the salt, and return the beef. Simmer over medium-low heat for 8 min, until much thicker than a sauce for rice, so it barely runs off a spoon. A runny filling makes a soggy lid.

   Add in this stepRed wine 40 mlTomato paste 2 tspBeef stock 150 mlTomato ketchup 2 tbspWorcestershire sauce 2 tspSalt 1 pinch

   medium-low heat

4. Spread the filling in a wide dish and cool it for 15 min; hot filling melts the butter in the pastry so it will not puff. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 °C.

5. Fill 10 cm ×2 ovenproof ramekins (about 300 ml) four-fifths full and top with the mozzarella. Cut pastry circles 2 cm wider than the rims, lay them over and press the edges firmly onto the sides. Mix the yolk with 1 teaspoon of water, brush it over the tops and cut a small slit in the centre.

   Add in this stepGrated mozzarella 40 gPuff pastry, thawed 120 gEgg yolks 1

6. Set the ramekins on a baking tray and bake on the middle shelf of the oven at 200 °C for 18 min, until well risen and deep golden. Rest 5 minutes. The filling is very hot, so crack the lid with a spoon and eat carefully.

   oven