Receta Aussie Meat Pies...
On Saturday the mister announced he was taking me shopping. My head spun around, several times, until it stopped, face to face with the mister. I asked him what the occasion was and he said, "We need a new iron." The mister loves to iron, every morning he trots down the hall into the laundry room where he stands in his skivvies and waits for the iron to heat up so he can "spot press" whatever it is he's wearing that day. You'll never see him in wrinkled clothes. So I was a bit perplexed when I took notice of what he was wearing...his beloved high-top Converse Allstars, white socks, tan shorts, and his pajama top. I told him I wasn't going anywhere with him in those clothes and to run along and change. He said, "I'm not changing, what's wrong with what I have on?" I pointed out the obvious. He said it was not a pajama top, it was a pull-over (that he happens to wear to sleep in). As he dug his hoof into the ground and snorted, I pretended not to notice and went about my business. After a few minutes I heard him stomping up the stairs, and he yelled, "I'll wear whatever I damn well please!" So I assumed our shopping expedition to purchase an iron (yippee!) was off but two minutes later he reappeared with a freshly pressed shirt on his back and we were off to buy an iron. For Mother's Day. Bet you're jealous!
Before I get to the meat pies I have to tell you about three NEW things that will rock your world! Gravy Granules! Oh sure, they're been around for a while and most of them make a flavorless, brown paste but Aah! Bistro is the exception! It's from the U.K. (love those Brits!) and it actually tastes and smells like real gravy...which is important when you're making meat pie, but I'll get to that in a minute. The next item just happens to be one of the top sellers at World Market...Curry Ketchup! It's a party starter! I'll let you just imagine all the things you can squirt Curry Ketchup on! And finally, Bacon Salt. Please, a moment of silence. Bacon. Salt. Amen. Look for these amazing products at World Market or speciality grocery stores...you'll thank me!
Katie, my neighbor and sous chef, popped over to help me make meat pies. We used the Aussie's recipe, with only a few minor deviations...like we forgot we were adding tops to the pies so we cut the pastry circles a bit small and when we went to put them on top, well, there were a few gaps! There is only one store in the Seattle area that sells authentic Australian meat pies...and they're okay, not great, but when the Aussies get a hankering for their equivilent of our hamburger, they either buy them or make their own. So the Aussie from Perth has gotten quite good at making her own and she happily shared her recipe.
See what I mean about the tops? Oh well, they tasted great and the 2nd batch was prettier but I forgot to take a pic! Meat pies are similar to chicken pot pies...a pastry shell filled with meat/chicken, veggies and gravy....but the Aussie's don't go in for a lot of fluff...so they don't put a lot of veggies into their pies, just onion and celery are mixed with meat and gravy and then they eat them with tomato sauce, which is what the Aussie's call ketchup. Katie and I decided against ketchup for our topper so we made our own sauce, with Curry Ketchup as the base...dang good!
Aussie Meat Pies - Adpated from the Perth Aussie, Debbie Holder
(Deb uses Gravox, a powder gravy mix that she purchases in Australia. A quick look around the Gravox website told me it's been around since 1917 and it's Australia's favourite! Deb gave me some Gravox to make my pies as it's not available locally but in my search I discovered Aah! Bistro and at the risk of ruining a friendship, I'd say this British version is every bit as good as Gravox.)
3 batches of pastry, recipe below
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 4 tablespoons Gravox or Aah! Bistro or another gravy powder (or you can skip this and make your own gravy)
- 2 cups beef broth (plus more to thin if necessary)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg, beaten, to brush on top of pies
- Pastry recipe:
- (We used a basic pie pastry recipe but later discovered that most Aussie pies are made with puff pastry - so you can choose which pastry to use.)
- You will need to make three batches of this recipe to make 10 pies.
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cold butter
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 4 to 5 tablespoons cold water
To make pastry: For every pie you will need two pieces of pastry. Each batch of pastry makes enough for about 3 pies, with a little left over. Sift flour and salt together and put into a food processor. Sprinkle butter and shortening, cut into small pieces, over top of flour mixture. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons cold water over top. Process until mixture just comes together into a ball, adding in addtional tablespoon of water if necessary. Remove from food processor. Dump contents onto a lightly floured counter and knead lightly, incorporating all the little bits. Roll out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Place aluminum tins upside down on pastry and cut out 10 circles around it, these are your tops. Place tin upside down on pastry again, and this time cut 10 larger circles, about 3/4-inch larger, these are the pie bases. Press base pastry into pie tins and press up the sides. Reroll dough as necessary and make additional batches as needed.
To make pies: Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until just beginning to soften. Add ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned, about 10 minutes. Combine Gravox or other gravy powder with 1 cup of beef broth and stir well. Set aside. Add remaining beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste to beef. Stir well to combine. Add Gravox mixture and stir. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until thick, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Fill pastry lined tins with meat mixture. In a small bowl combine beaten egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush egg mixture over rims of pastry. Place pie tops over meat. Use a fork to seal the edges, trimming if necessary. Brush tops of pies with egg mixture*.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pies on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until pies are golden brown. Serve with tomato sauce/ketchup or tomato soup or curry ketchup or make your own tomato-y sauce. (I'd share the sauce we came up with but I can't remember what we made!) Makes 10 pies.
(*You can freeze the pies at this point. When ready to bake, place frozen pies in oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown and pies are hot in the center.)
"I'm 'aving a dog's eye an a dead 'orse." ~ Aussie saying for "I'm having a meat pie and sauce."
One year ago: Double Chocolate Pancakes
Two years ago: Classic Red Sauce With Clams
Three years ago: Cupcakes Are The New Black - Happy Birthday to my Sister