New Zealand Meat Pie

Ingredients:

500g minced beef or lamb
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, diced
135g frozen peas
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
2 packages of puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (390°F).

For the filling, place a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Once hot add the oil and use to fry the chopped onion and minced garlic until the onion has softened (about 2-3 minutes). Next, add the minced beef or lamb, breaking any clumps up with a spatula. Cook until browned with no pink bits of meat left.

Stir in the diced carrots and frozen peas, cook them for a further 5 minutes. At this pint mix in the Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Take off the heat, then set aside to allow the filling to cool.

Now unwrap the puff pastry and un-roll on a floured work surface. Roll lightly with a rolling pin then cut out circles or squares to fit with the pie size you're making (also cut smaller pieces for lids). You'll probably need one sheet for the base and sides and another for the lids.

Once the filling has cooled you can assemble the pies. Line pie moulds with the larger piece of pastry then set the filling in the centre. Brush the edges with the beaten egg then sit the smaller piece of pastry over the top to enclose the filling.

Crimp the edges sealed with the tines of a fork then trim the pastry neatly. Brush the tops with beaten egg to glaze. Pierce the top pastry a few times to create steam holes.

Transfer the pies to the centre of your pre-heated oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the filling is piping hot and the pastry is golden brown.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly then turn the pies out of their moulds and serve with your favourite accompaniment.