My mate, Gail, requested more pie recipes, so pies we have.  Pies are comfort food and potato pie takes the cake.

This is not a traditional cottage pie that is made with yesterday’s lamb roast but it still brings back memories of our childhood and makes us feel warm and cosy in the depths of winter.  These quantities make 8 pies which is rather a lot.  So if you wish, you could halve the quantities or save it for when you have friends over.  Alternatively, make them all and put them in the freezer.  You will need 8 individual pie tins.

The filling is based on a recipe from a little Family Circle booklet Classic Essential Pies.

Pastry:

• 3 cups plain flour
• 230g cold butter, chopped
• cold water, from the fridge

1. Place the flour in a food processor and pulse a few times.
2. Add the chopped butter and process, until just combined.
3. While the processor is still running, drizzle in, very slowly, cold water.  Stop when the dough begins to clump together.  Do not let it form a ball.
4. Tip the dough onto your work bench and knead to form a ball (if you can’t, add a drop or two more water).
5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for, at least, 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
7. Take the pastry out of the fridge.  If it is a little stiff wait, until it softens a bit.
8. Roll it out and cut circles big enough to fit standard pie tins (I used a butter plate).  You will need to gather up the scraps and roll the pastry a few times to get your 8 circles.
9. Brush each tin with melted butter.
10. Line each tin with the rolled pastry, gently easing it into the corners of the base.  Leave a small amount of overhang and trim off the rest.
11. With a fork, pierce the base a few times.
12. Line each tin with Alfoil and then cover base with pie weights.
13. Bake for 10 minutes in 180°C oven.
14. Remove Alfoil and weights and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Filling:

• 1½ medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 small or 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 750g beef mince
• 3 tbs (60 mls)flour
• 3 cups beef or chicken stock
• 3 tbs (60 mls) tomato paste
• 1½ tbs (30 mls) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbs (20 mls) HP sauce
• salt and pepper

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan, cook onion over a low heat until soft.
2. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
3. Add the mince and cook over a medium heat until well browned.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and stir to combine.
5. Add the stock, paste, sauces, salt and pepper, stir.
6. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat.  Simmer until the mixture has reduced and thickened.
7. Allow the mixture to cool completely.

Topping:

• 6 potatoes, cooked and mashed
•  a small amount of breadcrumbs and cheese to sprinkle on top

Assemble the pie

1. Spoon the mixture into the pastry cases.
2. Pipe the mashed potato over the top of the meat mixture. (If you don’t have a piping bag, just spoon it on and fluff it up with a fork.)
3. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and cheese over each pie.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes or until heated through and brown on top.