Beef and Guinness Pie - oil

Method

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan and fry the bacon until crisp.
• Remove, drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
• Fry the onions in the rest of the oil until softened.
• Tip in the steak and fry until browned, stirring often.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato puree and mustard powder, pour in the Guinness and stock, then keep stirring until the mixture thickens.
• Add the carrot, mushroom, thyme and fried bacon, then lower the heat and cover and simmer for 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours, until the meat is really tender, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from the heat, discard the thyme sprigs and stir in the parsley.
• Season, cool, and chill until cold.
• Tip the cooled mixture into a 1.2-1.5l (2-2 1/2 pint) ovenproof pie dish.
• Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220C, fan 200C Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, so it's about 2.5cm (1 in) wider than the pie dish.
• Cut off a separate 2.5cm (1 in) pastry strip to cover the dish rim.
• Brush the dish rim with egg and stick the strip to it.
• Brush the pastry strip with more egg, then lay the pastry lid over the top and press the edges down to seal.
• Cut 2 small slits in the pastry lid, then brush with egg.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden (cover with foil for the last 5-10 minutes if the pastry is browning too quickly).
• Serve with some veg, such as mashed potato and shredded greens.