Elle Loughlin shares her Australian meat pies. There's more to this dish than meats the eye!
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY INGREDIENTS:
Around 1 lb. Ground beef (I used moose, but cow is also good)
1 Large onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1¼ cup ketchup
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2¼ cups veggie broth
Puff pastry (store bought or your own recipe)
3 Shortcrust pastry (store bought or your own recipe)
Salt and pepper to taste
Egg (to glaze tops; optional)
1 cup water
Onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450 F. While the oven preheats, saute onions (and carrots/ other veggies) until translucent. Then add your meat and cook until it’s browned. Add some tomato paste (not the whole can yet), the veggie broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and any other seasonings. Add water (eyeball how much you think is necessary to bring mixture to a boil), bring to a boil, and then simmer for 15 minutes (or until all the liquid is soaked up).
Add 3 tbsp. flour and some more water, if necessary. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates again. Taste to see if you’d like to add anything (I usually add more onion, chili, and garlic powder here, sometimes ketchup too).
While the meat cools, spread the shortcrust pastry into your preferred dish(es); the crust should come to the top of the pan. Add the meat to your pan(s) and moisten the top of the shortcrust with water.
Top the pie(s) with puff pastry and press on the edges so the crusts are molded together. Optional: glaze the tops with the egg. Bake at 450 F for 15 minutes (so puff pastry can rise); then reduce heat to 375 F and cook for 25 more minutes, or until tops are golden brown
Let the pies cool, and then eat!
NOTES:
I prefer the taste of Worcestershire sauce, but if you don’t have any, mix honey and soy sauce to use as a replacement.
I used tomato paste and veggie broth as a substitute for beef broth cubes. If you have these/like them, feel free to use those instead! Have your pastry crusts ready to go when you start.
I prefer smaller meat pies in tiny tins. They sell meat pie tins, but I argue that muffin pans work just as well. Meat pies are best enjoyed slathered in ketchup.