Make individual pies and serve them with a dollop of mashed potato and some parsley liquor to recreate the famous East End speciality of Pie, Mash and Liquor.

Ingredients

Serves: 4
600 Gram Lean minced beef (1 lb 5 oz)
2 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 Medium Onion, peeled and chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
2 Tablespoon Plain flour
2 Tablespoon Tomato puree
1 Teaspoon English mustard
75 Gram Mushrooms, finely chopped (3 oz)
300 ml Brown ale or bitter (11 fl oz)
400 Gram Puff pastry, or shortcrust or suet crust pastry (14 oz)
Milk or beaten egg to glaze

Method

Brown the minced beef in the oil in a hot pan, breaking up the mince with the back of a spoon as it browns.
Add the onion and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and tomato puree and cook a further 2 minutes. Add the mustard, mushrooms and brown ale and bring slowly to the boil. Cover then simmer for 20 minutes. Cool.
Turn the mixture into a 1 litre (1 3/4 pint) pie dish or 4 individual pie dishes.
Roll the pastry out large enough to cover the large pie dish or smaller dishes. Cut pastry to fit and press firmly onto the dish. Brush with milk to glaze.
Bake at 220 °C / 425 °F / Gas 7 for 15 minutes for small pies 20-25 minutes for large or until the pie is golden.