1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark
4. Place the beef and bacon in a roasting tin
and brown in the oven for 15 minutes, then
stir and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, soy
sauce and wine. Cover with baking parchment,
pushing it down over the ingredients, seal with
kitchen foil and cook for 1 ½ hours.
2. Once cooked, drain off all the liquid into a
saucepan. Blend the cornflour with a little water and mix into the cooking juices, then place
on the heat and stir until boiling and thickened. Return the liquid to the meat, add the
parsley, mix, and leave to cool completely.
For the filling
1.3kg (3lb) chuck steak, cut into 2cm chunks
350g (12oz) cooked dry-cured bacon, diced
200g (7oz) button mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp soy sauce, preferably Kikkoman
350ml (12fl oz) red wine
2 tbsp cornflour
Leaves of 4 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, roughly
chopped
For the suet pastry
700g (1lb 9oz) plain flour
350g (12oz) suet
½ tbsp salt
For assembly
25g (1oz) lard, melted
1 tbsp plain flour
1 egg, beaten
3. Place the flour, salt and suet in a food processor and blitz. Transfer to a mixing bowl,
add 300ml (½ pint) water and mix until
smooth. If making individual pies, divide the
dough into eight balls, four weighing 185g (6
½ oz) and four weighing 115g (4oz). If making
one large pie, divide it into two balls, one 740g
(1lb 10oz) and the other 460g (1lb). Wrap in
clingfilm and place in the fridge overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark
5. Brush the inside of the tin or tins thoroughly
with lard, then dust lightly with flour. Roll out
the larger pastry balls and use to line the tin or
tins. Divide the filling between them. Brush the
pastry edges generously with egg, roll out the
smaller pastry balls and place the pastry sheet
on top, pushing the edges together. Trim off
the excess with a knife and crimp around the
edge. Brush with egg, and decorate with pastry
trimmings. Cook for 50 minutes. Leave to cool
for 5 minutes, then turn out of the tins and
enjoy.