steak and chips pie

by Leah Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 2 cups + 2 Tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 1 cup lard*, melted
  • 1/3 cup boiling water
  • 1kg gravy beef
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 leek, diced
  • 2 sticks celery, chopped
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp celery seeds
  • 1 tsp ground sage
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 500ml red wine
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 500g crinkle-cut oven baked chips
  • tomato ketchup, to serve

Instructions

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3½ hours
Serves: 8

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine 2 cups flour with the salt and melted lard in a bowl,
then stir to combine. Add the boiling water, mix well, then knead on a lightly-floured board
until smooth. Wrap well, then refrigerate for 2 hours. Roll out, line into a 26cm pie dish,
then bake for 25 minutes, until crisp. Set aside.
2 Dice the beef into large pieces, then fry in extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over a
high heat for 5 minutes, until well browned. Add the leek, celery, garlic and spices, then
cook for 5 more minutes.
3 Add the tomato paste, wine and enough water to barely cover, fir the lid, then simmer for
3 hours, until tender. Remove the lid, then boil rapidly without stirring until the sauce begins
to thicken.
4 Mix the butter and remaining flour, stir in, then simmer until thickened. Season with salt
and pepper. Meanwhile, bake chips according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon beef
filling into pie shell, then top with chips.