Meat Pie by Kajal Pradhan Lamba- A mother’s day special

By Kaajal Pradhan Lamba

Ingredients:

For the filling

• Lamb/ Beef Mince – 500 gms.

• Onion                 – 1 medium chopped

• Carrot                 – 1 medium chopped

• Celery                 – 2 stalk chopped

• Garlic            – 1 tbs. finely chopped

• Cognac               – 2 table spoons

• Worcestershire

• Sauce        – 1 table spoon

• Tomato Paste       – 1 table spoon

• Olive Oil`             – 2 table spoons

• All purpose Flour   – 2 table spoons

• Bay Leaf                – 1 no.

• Cinnamon Powder  – 1/8 table spoon

• Clove Powder         – 1/8 tablespoon

• Sage                     – ¼ table spoon

• Thyme                  – ¼ table spoon

• Nutmeg                – grated a pinch

• Mutton/Beef /Chicken Stock       – 300 -400 ml

• Salt & Pepper        – to taste

For the Pastry

• All purpose flour – 350 grams

• Butter unsalted – 200 grams (chilled)

• Iced water – 60 ml + more if required

• Salt                     – 1 tablespoon

• Fine Sugar                   – 1 table spoon

METHOD:

Filling

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan/pot.

2. Add the garlic, fry till fragrant, now add the onion and fry for sometime. Now add the carrot and celery and fry for another 3-4 minutes.

3. Add the minced meat and fry stirring continuously till the meat changes color and enough water has dried out.

4. To this add the flour and fry well till all the ingredients are mixed well.

5. Now add the stock, bay leaf & cognac and bring to a boil. Cover and cook in medium – low heat till the meat is cooked thoroughly and the consistency is quite thick.

6. To this add the Worcestershire sauce, sage, thyme, clove powder, cinnamon powder, grated nutmeg and salt & pepper to taste.

7. Stir and mix well and simmer for another 4-5 mins. 

8. Turn off the heat and let it rest for sometime.

Making the Pie

1. Put the flour and salt and sugar in a bowl and mix well with a fork or whisk.

2. To this add the cubed chilled butter.

3. Using your fingers to crush the butter and mix well the butter & flour till it resembles a crumbly texture. If you are using a Food Processor then pulse the mixture to a crumbly texture for about 15 seconds.

4. Now slowly add the chilled water and using a blunt butter knife. Keep stirring the mixture till it starts to clump together.( 60 ml should be fine use extra only if required).If using food processor then add the water through the feeding tube and pulse for not more than 30 seconds.

5. Now gather the dough on a work surface and bring it together and make a big ball. Divide in two and cover with cling film and put in freezer for at least half an hour or more.

6. In a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry 8 or 9 inch (20 to 23 cm) pie pan. 

7. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness).

8. To make sure it is of right size, take your pie pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry. The pastry should be about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than your pan.

9. When the pastry is rolled to the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto the top of your pie pan.

10. Gently lay in pan and with your fingertips, lightly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

11. Chill the pie crust & remaining dough for 10- 15 minutes.

12. Prick the bottom of the pie with a fork and line with butter paper and place some dried kidney beans for weight and bake in a pre heated oven at 180 C for about 15 minutes and then remove the weight and bake till golden brown.

13. Remove and let the pie crust cool down

14. In the mean time roll out the remaining dough to make the top cover for the pie.

15. Now fill the pie crust with the meat filling and roll the top crust and crimp the edges making sure the top crust is touching the lower crust.

16. Make small incisions on the top crust to allow the steam to escape.

17. Pop it in a pre heated oven at 200 C for 15 – 20 minutes or till the top crust is well browned.

18. Remove and let it sit for sometime and serve with ketchup.

                                                              ‘Mummy you are the best chef- says Ananya as she digs in the meat pie