Steak & Ale Pie

Name: Steak & Ale Pie
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: UK
Ingredients: 700g lean stewing beef, diced; 1 tbsp wholemeal flour; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 2 carrots, chopped; 200g mushrooms, quartered; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 250ml ale; 300ml beef stock; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp thyme; 1 bay leaf; Salt & pepper; 3–4 sheets filo pastry; Olive oil spray

A hearty British pie made lighter: lean beef slow-cooked in ale gravy with extra veg, under a crisp filo lid instead of puff pastry.

~170 mintotal

Ingredients

700g lean stewing beef, diced
1 tbsp wholemeal flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
200g mushrooms, quartered
2 garlic cloves, minced
250ml ale
300ml beef stock
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper
3–4 sheets filo pastry
Olive oil spray

Cooking Steps

Toss the beef in flour and brown in olive oil; set aside.
Soften the onion, carrot, mushrooms and garlic.
Return the beef, add ale, stock, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf.
Cover and simmer gently 1½–2 hours until tender; season.
Spoon into a dish and top with scrunched filo, misted with olive oil.
Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20–25 minutes until golden.

Optional Enhancements

Use extra mushrooms to reduce the meat
Alcohol-free: swap ale for extra stock + 1 tsp balsamic
Top with mashed potato instead of filo

Plant & Growing Tips

Onions: Plant sets in spring. Water during dry spells

Carrots: Direct sow into sandy, fine soil. Thin seedlings early

Herbs: Rosemary and thyme grow well in pots and dry soils

Garlic: Plant cloves in autumn. Harvest midsummer

Natural Pest Control

Carrot fly: fleece covers

Onion thrips: garlic spray

Companion plant rosemary with carrots to deter pests

Harvest

Carrots: Pull young for sweetness or mature for stews

Onions: Harvest when tops flop over

Herbs: Pick before flowering for best oil content

Storing & Freezing

Filling keeps 3 days in the fridge and freezes 3 months; add filo before baking.