Whisky Steak Pie

Beat January blues with this yummy comfort food.

Ingredients

• 25g sunflower oil
• 25g plain flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 500-700g braising steak, cut into small pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 225g button mushrooms, halved
• 3 beef stock cubes
• 600ml boiling water
• 100ml Scotch Whisky Sauce
• 225g (8 oz) plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 100g (4 oz) butter
• Cold water to mix
• 1 egg

Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
Sift the flour into a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Toss the meat pieces in the flour to lightly coat and then add the meat to the frying pan and keep the remaining seasoned flour to one side.
Fry the meat in the oil until brown.
Add the onion and mushrooms to the meat.
Sprinkle the remaining flour into the pan and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the scotch whisky sauce and more seasoning.
Add the stock cubes to the boiling water and stir until dissolved, then add it into the pan so that the meat is covered. If your frying pan is quite small, then you may find it easier to transfer the meat mixture to a bigger saucepan before adding the stock.
Leave this to simmer for about 30 minutes or until the sauce is as thick or thin as you like it. Preheat the oven to 150 C / Gas 2.
Whilst this is simmering make the pastry by firstly sifting the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
Add the butter and cut into the flour using a knife and then rub in with fingers.
The mixture should start to look like fine breadcrumbs.
Slowly add cold water to the crumbs and mix to a stiff crumbly looking paste.
Bring together the paste using a wooden spoon, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead quickly until smooth and crack free.
Once the filling is to your desired consistency pour the mixture into a pie dish.