A slightly luxurious take on steak and ale pie. Serves 6 with two individual pies each.

Pie Ingredients:-

6 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Olive oil

1 1/2 pounds venison meat or beef chuck or sirloin, cubed

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

2 teaspoons minced garlic

8 ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and sliced

salt  and pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer / stout

2 cups beef stock

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

pastry dough (See below)

Phyllo Pastry (Bought if absolutely fine)

3-4 tablespoons butter, melted

Method:-

(1) In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

(2) Season the beef with the paprika, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour off the bacon fat and add about 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat the pan over medium. When hot, add the beef (in batches, if necessary to prevent overcrowding). Cook until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and add the onions, adding more olive oil as needed. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until wilted and starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, flour, and Worcestershire, and stir well. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the beer and stock, and stir to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil and add the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, cooked bacon bits, and return the meat to the pan. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and adjust the seasoning, to taste.  Allow the beef stew to cool and then refrigerate at least four hours or over night.

(3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the pastry crust on a lightly floured surface. Using a round cookie cutter, or the rim of a glass, cut out the pastry dough and place each round into a muffin tin. The pastry should be just large enough to to come up to the top of the muffin tin. Fill each pastry shell with the cold stew and refrigerate.

(4) Unroll the phyllo dough and place a damp cloth over the top to keep from drying out. Using one sheet at a time, place on work surface and brush with melted butter. Add another sheet and brush again with melted butter, until you have used five to eight sheets. Using a slight smaller cookie cutter, cut out twelve tops. Place one on top of each pie and crimp around the edges. Don’t worry if each one is slightly different. Brush each top with the remaining butter

(5) Put the pies in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden on top. If the phyllo dough gets too brown cover with aluminum foil and continue to cook.

Pastry Dough Ingredients:-

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 stick butter, chilled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces

1 tbsp ice water

1 large egg

1/8 tsp salt

Method:-

Sift flour and salt into a bowl, add butter pieces and blend with your fingertips until the flour mixture looks like course meal. In a separate bowl, add egg and water and beat well. Add egg and water mixture to flour and stir with a fork until the dough just starts to come together. Pour dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a disk. Wrap the dough and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better. This dough can remain refrigerated for up to 3 days before use.

{fcomment}