Mince and Potato Pie
Ingredients
- 350 gr. (12oz.) Shortcrust pastry
- see below *
- 200/250 gr. (7-9 oz.) minced beef or lamb*
- ½ large onion, finely chopped
- 1-2 tbsp. freeze-dried mint
- 1 small carrot, diced small
- 1 small potato, diced small
- 1 tsp. tomato purée
- Approx. 2 tbsp. gravy granules
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Freshly chopped parsley
- * The quantity of pastry is the amount of pastry made using 350 gr. (12 oz.) flour and not the total of ingredients. The weight of the fats used should total half the weight of the flour.
- *Lamb mince is very fatty, so the best meat to use for this pie is chump steaks or leg steaks. Trim off any fat from the lamb and if you have a mincer, mince the lamb. Alternatively, cut the lamb into small chunks and whiz in food processor until finely chopped.
- Preheat oven to 190°C.
Method
Heat about a scant tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onions gently until softened. Add the minced beef or lamb, mash it in with a fork to prevent lumps forming. (If using lamb, sprinkle in about 1-2 tbsp. freeze-dried mint at this stage and stir round a little). Mix in the tomato purée and then add enough water to cover and simmer until most of the water has evaporated.
Now add the potatoes and carrots, stir round and add more water to barely cover and cook gently. When there is a small amount of water left, stir in the gravy granules to thicken. Season the filling lightly with salt to taste, bearing in mind that the gravy granules are also salty and add some freshly ground black pepper.
Mix in some freshly chopped parsley if you have some. Leave to one side.
Roll out the pastry and line a greased Pyrex plate. Fill with the mince mixture and cover with pastry. Make three or four snips in the pastry with scissors, decorate with a leaf design, brush with milk and bake in the oven at 190°C until nicely browned. This should take approx. 20 minutes.
Tastes good served with mashed potato, gravy and fine green beans or baked beans.
