Mince and Cheese Pie

Method

1. Heat the oil in a 24 cm frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the finely chopped onion for about 3 minutes until soft. Add the mince and break it up with a spatula, cooking for 7 min in total until no pink remains and some bits are browned. If a lot of liquid appears, keep cooking until it evaporates; the browning is where the flavour comes from.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspOnion ½Beef mince 300 g

   medium-high heat

2. Sprinkle over the flour and stir for 1 minute, then pour in the stock a little at a time, stirring out any lumps, and add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and pepper. When it boils, turn down to medium-low heat and simmer for 12 min, stirring now and then. You want a thick gravy that doesn't run off a tilted spoon, otherwise the pie base goes soggy. Taste and season with salt (skip it if your stock is salty).

   Add in this stepPlain flour 4 tspBeef stock 180 mlWorcestershire sauce 1 tspTomato sauce (ketchup) 2 tspBlack pepper 1 pinchSalt to taste

   medium-low heat

3. Spread the filling on a wide plate and let it cool for 20 min. Hot filling melts the buttery pastry and makes a soggy base. Meanwhile take the pastry sheets out of the freezer for about 10 minutes until pliable, and heat the oven to 200 °C with an empty baking tray inside.

4. Butter 2 × 12 cm pie tins. Cut circles of shortcrust 4 cm wider than the tins and press them firmly into the base and sides. Fill with the cooled mince, pile the cheddar on top and brush the rim with beaten egg. Cover with a circle of puff pastry slightly larger than the tin, press the edges with a fork to seal and trim off the excess. Cut two small slits in the top for steam and brush with egg.

   Add in this stepButter (for the tins) 5 gFrozen ready-rolled shortcrust pastry 220 gGrated tasty cheddar 60 gEgg (for egg wash) 1Frozen ready-rolled puff pastry 140 g

5. Put the pies on the hot tray and bake in the oven at 200 °C for 25 min, until the lids are well risen and deep golden and the base is golden when you gently lift a tin to check.

   oven

6. Leave for 5 min before turning out of the tins. The filling is very hot, so take care, and eat it the Kiwi way, in your hand, with a squeeze of tomato sauce.