- 75g/3oz plain flour
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 750g/1½lb braising steak, cut into 5cm/2in cubes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 125g/4½oz baby onions (or small onions), peeled
- 400g/14oz carrots, cut into large pieces
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 tbsp tomato purée
- 300ml/10fl oz ale
- 300ml/10fl oz hot beef stock
- 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made puff pastry, rolled to 0.5cm/½in thickness
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- steamed vegetables of your choice, to serve
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
- Sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the steak pieces in the seasoned flour.
- Heat an ovenproof casserole dish over a high heat, add the steak pieces in batches and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown on all sides, stirring regularly. Remove the cooked steak from the dish, transfer to a warm plate and set aside. Repeat the process with the remaining steak pieces, then set aside.
- Add the shallots, onions and carrots to the emptied casserole and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until just softened.
- Add the thyme, bay leaves and tomato purée and stir well to combine.
- Add the ale and stir well, scraping any sediment up from the bottom of the casserole using a wooden spoon.
- Return the browned steak pieces to the casserole, add the hot stock, stir well and bring the mixture to the boil.
- Transfer the dish to the oven and cook for 1½ hours, or until the beef is tender and the gravy has thickened. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- Increase the heat of the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
- Divide the beef and gravy mixture among four small ovenproof dishes.
- Cut the pastry into four equal pieces, each one big enough to cover the small pie dishes.
- Brush a little water around the rim of each small pie dish, then place one piece of pastry over each pie and press the edges to seal the pastry to the dish.
- Brush each pie with a little beaten egg, then place the pies in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is pale golden-brown and has risen.
- To serve, place the small pie dishes onto serving plates and spoon steamed vegetables of your choice alongside.