Steak and Kidney Pie

Method for the shortcrust pastry:

 Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.  Add the cubed butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Mix the egg yolks with three tablespoons of water and then pour the egg mixture into the centre of the flour mixture.  Stir with a fork to bring everything together into a fairly firm, smooth dough. If it is too dry add the remaining tablespoon of water.  Knead lightly for a few seconds to make it homogenous. Then shape the dough into a cylinder. Wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

 Method for the filling:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/gas 4.

Peel the membrane off the ox kidney and cut into 2cm cubes along with the steak.  Put the flour into a large mixing bowl, season, add the steak and kidney and toss well.

Heat some olive oil in a lidded casserole dish and brown the floured steak and kidney in it, in batches, over a medium heat. Transfer to a bowl and leave to one side.

 In the same dish reduce the heat, add the butter and cook the onion and garlic until soft, then add to the bowl with the beef.

 Now add the mushrooms and thyme to the casserole dish and sauté for two minutes. Stir in the leftover flour and cook for a minute longer. Pour in the wine, mix well and return the meat and onion to the dish. Stir in the stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to the boil.

 Cover the casserole and transfer to the preheated oven for one hour, and then reduce the heat to 150 degrees/gas 2 and cook for another 30 minutes to an 1 hour, stirring once until the meat is tender.

Remove from the oven and spoon the meat and a little sauce into a 1.2 litre pie dish then leave to cool.  If cooking the pie immediately, raise the oven temperature to 200 degrees/gas 6.

Now roll out the pastry to 3mm thick and slightly larger than the pie dish. Cut out a strip to fit the rim of the dish, brush the rim with water and place the strip on it, pressing down gently, then brush the pastry rim with egg glaze.

Lift up the rest of the pastry and place it on the pie. Trim off the edges then press with a fork to seal it. Finally brush the top with the beaten egg and make a hole in the centre for steam to escape (this stops the pastry going soggy!).

Place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees/gas 6 and bake for 30-40 minutes until pastry is golden and crisp.