Steak pie served with peas, mashed potatoes and gravy is a quintessential British meal. Just one of the great dishes that are under appreciated from the UK. Give this recipe a try and you’ll see what I mean.

I’ve discovered that many Americans are not familiar with a traditional British steak pie.

Introducing British Steak Pie

Once, my parents invited some friends for dinner, and my mother told them she’d like them to try her steak pie. They were pleasantly surprised when they first tasted it, and immediately fell in love with the dish. However, it was only then that they both explained their horror of what they had initially imagined a steak pie to be: a sweet pie filled with a steak!

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If you’ve never had a steak pie, here’s your chance to try something new and different (and delicious). I will warn you that if you purchase your pie crust, it won’t be that exciting, and if the crust has sugar in it, please do not use it for this purpose. This is in the same sort of category as sausage rolls, so if you like those, I bet you’ll like this pie, too.

Scottish Steak Pie

There is another option, which is the traditional Scottish manner of making a steak pie, which is to put the stew in a dish and cover the top with puff pastry. This is equally as enticing as a steak pie with crust! Make sure to serve it with more gravy, mashed potatoes and peas, and a Scottish ale wouldn’t hurt, for those who imbibe.

Traditional British Steak Pie

recipe by Christina Conte (learned from my mother) Serves 6

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

1 double crust pie pastry (without sugar)

For the filling

good quality stew meat, preferably organic, grass fed, cut into bite sized pieces, tossed in flour
onions, diced
olive oil
OXO beef cubes or 1 tbsp beef bouillon or
Kosher or sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Worcestershire Sauce, if desired
cold water (or beef stock-if using stock, omit the beef bouillion or add less)
egg white, beaten with 1/2 tsp water (for brushing pie crust) omit for an egg-free dish

Sauté the onions in the olive oil in a heavy pot until translucent. Remove from pot and set aside. Add more oil to the pot if needed.

Over high heat, add half the meat and sear quickly, until slightly browned, and then remove, and set aside. Repeat with the remaining meat, but instead of removing it after it’s browned, add the other meat and onions back into the pot. (I get really good results when I use the pressure cooker, so if you have one and want to use it, the meat becomes really tender.)

Make a space in the middle of the pot and add the flour. Continue to sauté for about 5 minutes, so that the flour is cooked and brown; then add enough water or stock to make a gravy, but not so much that it won’t all fit in the pie dish.

Add the bouillon/OXO cubes and salt (taste a little of the gravy so that you don’t over salt it).

Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or so, then remove from heat. Let cool slightly.

NOTE: Steak Pie can be made with seasoned raw meat being placed in the crust, but I find that the meat is too tough when made in this manner.

Place the bottom pie shell in a dish, and fill with the stew, then place the pastry on top. (If using puff pastry, place stew directly in dish and top with the pastry, crimping the edges to the side of the pan.) Brush with slightly beaten egg white and water.

Bake pie in crust, in preheated oven, near the bottom, at 400º F (200º C) for 30 minutes, then move the center of the oven for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with gravy, mashed potatoes (made with butter and half and half) and peas. Then close your eyes and pretend you’re in a British pub, and enjoy!

A day in LA, a bit south of Los Angeles: Laguna Beach

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