Description

This Beef and Mushroom Pie is a comforting and delicious dish that makes perfect use of leftover slow-cooked beef cheeks in red wine. With a savory filling of tender beef, mushrooms, carrots, peas, and a rich tomato-based sauce, all encased in flaky puff pastry, this pie serves as an ideal hearty meal for any occasion. The recipe is easy to prepare and baked to golden perfection for a satisfying family dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Pastry

1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry (25cm x 25cm / 10″ x 10″, thawed)
1 egg (lightly beaten)

Pie Filling

2 cups shredded beef cheeks from Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks in Red Wine leftovers
1 1/2 cups leftover sauce from Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks in Red Wine
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion (brown, white, or yellow, diced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 carrots (diced roughly to the size of peas, about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup canned crushed tomato
1 1/2 cups sliced button mushrooms
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup water
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper (to taste)

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) to ensure it’s at the right temperature for baking the pies later.
Prepare Ramekins: Gather 4 ramekins, each with a capacity of approximately 1 2/3 cups, to hold the pie filling and pastry topping perfectly.
Cut Puff Pastry: Place a ramekin on the puff pastry sheet and use it as a guide to cut out four rounds from the pastry for the pie tops.
Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for about 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
Add Vegetables: Add the diced carrots to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Then add the sliced mushrooms and continue to sauté for another minute to soften and release their flavors.
Add Remaining Filling Ingredients: Stir in the shredded beef cheeks, leftover sauce, frozen peas, crushed tomato, tomato paste, water, dried thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Simmer Filling: Let the mixture simmer gently for 3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
Assemble Pies: Divide the hot pie filling evenly between the 4 ramekins. Place a puff pastry round on top of each ramekin, cutting a small slit in each pastry round to create steam vents.
Egg Wash and Bake: Brush the puff pastry tops with the lightly beaten egg to encourage browning. Place the ramekins in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is dark golden and puffed.
Rest and Serve: Remove the pies from the oven and let them stand for 5 minutes to cool slightly and set before serving.

Notes

Using leftover slow-cooked beef cheeks adds deep flavor and tenderness to the pie filling.
If you don’t have leftover beef cheeks, substitute with shredded slow-cooked beef or stew meat.
Adjust the seasoning of the filling after simmering to your taste preference.
The puff pastry rounds should be slightly larger than the ramekins to fully cover the filling.
Letting the pies rest before serving helps the filling to set and prevents burns from hot filling.