Name: Family mince and vegetable pie
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 450 gram beef mince; 1 onion, peeled and chopped; 2 tablespoon plain flour; 1/4 cup water; 1 cup beef stock; 3 tablespoon tomato sauce; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs; 2 cup frozen mixed vegetables; salt and freshly ground black pepper; Quick flaky pastry; 225 gram plain flour; pinch of salt; 170 gram butter, frozen (wrap it in foil and pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes – butter freezes well so you could leave some in the freezer for future use); cold water to mix; beaten egg or tablespoon of milk for glazing pastry (optional)

As Kiwis, it’s part of our culture to love a mince pie, and this recipe is a winner. If you haven’t made your own pastry before, this recipe is a great way to start!

We’ve used mixed vegetables in this – great for a burst of nutrition and no chopping required – but have fun with other vegetables to add in. Mushrooms would be delicious, or swap out mixed veg for some chopped fresh carrot.

Looking for other pie recipes? Try some of our favourite vegetarian pie recipes.

Ingredients

450 gram beef mince

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoon plain flour

1/4 cup water

1 cup beef stock

3 tablespoon tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs

2 cup frozen mixed vegetables

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Quick flaky pastry

225 gram plain flour

pinch of salt

170 gram butter, frozen (wrap it in foil and pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes – butter freezes well so you could leave some in the freezer for future use)

cold water to mix

beaten egg or tablespoon of milk for glazing pastry (optional)

Method

To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a big bowl. When the butter is very cold, dip it into the flour and then grate it into the bowl using a cheese grater. If it gets a bit sticky, dip it into the flour again.

Gently fork the butter through the flour and add just enough water to form a dough. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball but do not knead it. Pop the dough in a bag and chill it in the fridge until it is required – ideally for at least 20 minutes before rolling.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, brown the mince in a pan. Add the onion and cook the mixture gently until the onion is soft. Mix in the flour then add the water and beef stock and stir well. Stir in the tomato and Worcestershire sauces, mixed herbs, mixed vegetables and salt and pepper and simmer the mince mixture gently for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Set the mince mixture aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll two-thirds of the pastry dough into a circle big enough to line a 26cm metal pie dish. Line the dish with the pastry and pour in the cooled filling. Roll out the remaining pastry to form a lid, place it on top of the filling and pinch around the edges firmly to seal, trimming off any excess pastry. Use any pastry trimmings to make decorations for the top of the pie if you like. Stick them in place with a dab of water.

Cut a couple of steam vents in the lid of the pie and brush the pastry with beaten egg or a little milk to glaze it, if desired.

Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until it is dark golden. Serve the pie hot with tomato sauce.

If you don’t want to make your own pastry, you can jigsaw 3 frozen pastry sheets together to line and top your pie. – You could add a layer of cheese to the pie filling if you like the mince and cheese combo, or you could use the filling to make individual pies or pasties. – The filling also works well for a cottage pie. – Use a metal pie dish if you have one as they conduct heat better than glass or ceramic dishes – you might get greasy pastry or a soggy bottom with a glass or ceramic dish. – You can use corn flour instead of the plain flour in the pastry and filling and gluten-free stock in the filling to make it gluten free.

Note

This recipe first appeared in Food magazine issue 77.

Can I buy pre-made pastry?

Of course! See the note above. This would speed up dinner and make it a real quick and easy meal. Just ensure you follow the instructions on the package to ensure you have cooked the pastry properly. We really do suggest trying to make the pastry from scratch if you have the time.

My filling is still warm, can I use it?

Try and hold off until your filling has cooled – this will impact the pastry and creaty a soggy bottom, and no one wants that!

Can I change out the vegetables?

Absolutely! Mixed veggies are a great option as they require no prep at all, but you could easily omit them or change out to another finely chopped veg – mushrooms would be delicious.

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