Australian Meat Pie

Take the shortcrust and puff pastry sheets out of the freezer and thaw according to the package instructions. Finely chop the onion, and toward the end of prep, preheat the oven to 200°C with fan/convection.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes until soft. Add the beef mince and cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking up any lumps, until the meat is fully browned.

Pour in the beef stock, tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add the dried oregano, ground black pepper, salt and a pinch of nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.

Mix the flour with water until smooth, stir it into the filling and simmer, stirring constantly, for another 4–5 minutes until the gravy thickens. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Cut out 5 circles of shortcrust pastry for the base and line greased pie tins with them, pressing the pastry into the bottom and sides. Spoon in the cooled meat filling, without overfilling the tins.

Brush the pastry edges with water. Top the pies with circles of puff pastry, press the edges to seal, trim off any excess, and cut a small hole in the center of each top to let steam escape. Brush the tops with beaten egg.

Place the tins on a hot baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 200°C. Lower the temperature to 180°C and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Serve the pies hot with extra tomato sauce on the side, if desired.