Minced Beef and Onion Pie

Ingredients

• 400g lean minced beef
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tps chopped fresh thyme
• 600ml beef stock
• 2 tbsps gravy granules
• 200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 300g carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 sheets filo pastry
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190C, 375F, Gas Mark 5. Preheat a non-stick pan.
2. Dry-fry the beef in the pan until the meat changes colour. Drain through a metal sieve to remove as much fat as possible then wipe out the pan with kitchen paper.
3. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and dry-fry for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the thyme and return the beef to the pan. Pour in the beef stock and sprinkle with the gravy granules. Mix well and cook over a low heat for 1 minute more.
4. Add the mushrooms and carrots and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the mixture thicken, then transfer to an ovenproof dish.
5. Layer the filo pastry sheets on top, spraying lightly with oil spray in between each layer. Season well with black pepper and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
6. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with a selection of fresh vegetables.

Tips

Make the filling for this pie in advance and, when ready to use, simply top with the filo pastry sheets and bake in the oven.