Jus-Roll-It Shortcrust Pastrydepending on the size of your cookware and decorations
1Eggbeaten, for egg wash
Instructions
Briefly season diced beef in sea salt and black pepper.
Heat cooking oil in a pot over high heat. Cook the beef for a few minutes until they start to brown.
Stir in the butter/margarine. Turn to medium heat and cook for another 5 minutes until the juices begin to reduce.
Add in the onions, garlic and chilli flakes. Cook for 5-10 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Season with paprika, salt, black pepper, and oregano.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook until deepened in colour.
Add the plum tomatoes, beef stock, and bay leaf. Mix well, bring to a boil, then turn to medium-low heat and cover. Let cook for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally and add more water if needed.
Toss in chopped coriander leaves and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately if not adding pastry topping.
Adding the pastry topping:
Let the pre-made shortcrust pastry sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before use.
Preheat oven to 200C.
Place beef stew into an oven-proof dish. Wrap shortcrust pastry over the oven-proof dish.
Flute the pastry around the edges. Decorate the pastry top if you wish.
Using a fork, pierce holes on the surface of the pastry to allow steam to release. Brush with egg wash.
Place on the top rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Let rest and cool down for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
To make it easier to roll out and handle, let the pastry sit at room temperature before use.
Allow to beef stew to cool down a bit first before transferring to an oven-proof dish and wrap with pastry. This is because the heat may cause the pastry to soften and makes it difficult to handle.
Piercing holes on the pastry help to release steam and prevent the pastry from going soggy.
Brushing the surface of the pastry with beaten egg helps to add colour to the pastry.