Steak and Ale Pie

Pat the beef dry, cut into 3–4 cm cubes, and toss with 1 tbsp flour, salt, and black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and brown the meat in batches, 5–8 minutes per batch, until well seared. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pot, sauté the chopped onion and carrot for about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining flour and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the dark ale, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom with a spatula, then add the beef stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Return the beef to the pot, bring to a gentle simmer, and season with salt and black pepper.

Cover the pot with a lid and braise in the oven at 160°C for about 2 hours, until the beef is tender. Remove the thyme and bay leaf, then let the filling cool for 20 minutes.

Transfer the filling to a pie dish, cover with puff pastry, and press the edges to seal. Cut 2–3 small slits in the pastry to let steam escape.

Beat the egg and brush it over the pastry. Bake the pie at 200°C for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is hot throughout.