Deconstructed 'Aussie' Meat Pie

Serves 4 portions

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 500g lean beef mince
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 1 cup (250ml) beef stock
• ½ cup (125ml) tomato sauce + extra, to serve
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Vegemite
• 50g baby spinach
• 375g good quality butter puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Mashed potato, steamed green peas, to serve

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (200°fan-forced).
2. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and cook onion for 2-3 minutes or until softened.
3. Add mince and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until browned.
4. In a small bowl mix flour with stock until smooth.
5. Add stock mixture, sauces and Vegemite to mince. Stir and bring to the boil.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until mixture has thickened. Stir through spinach until wilted. Season.
7. Meanwhile, using a small sharp knife, cut pastry into 4 rounds slightly bigger than four 1-cup capacity ramekins.
8. Place pastry rounds onto a large tray lined with baking paper. Gently mark the edges of the pastry with a fork.
9. Lightly brush pastry with egg and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until crisp, golden and puffed.
10. Divide warm pie filling between ramekins and top with pastry rounds. Serve with mash potato, peas and extra tomato sauce.

Tips

• You could also use diced beef for this recipe instead of mince – dice the beef into
• 1cm pieces and increase the cook time.
• Add more vegetables to the mince mixture, if desired – e.g. broccoli, cauliflower or peas.
• You can also use 1 sheet frozen butter puff pastry, thawed, for this recipe.