Mince and Bacon Pies with Crispy Cheese and Rosemary Twists
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
These pies are filled with a rich dark mince, and I've topped them with my recipe for cheese and rosemary twists to give them an extra hit of flavour.
INGREDIENTS
Pastry
5 sheets pre-rolled butter puff pastry (25cm x 25cm)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed|
100 grams bacon, finely chopped
600 grams good beef mince
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
sea salt and ground pepper
6 x 14cm pie tins
METHOD
Filling: Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and cook the onion, carrot, garlic and bacon with a good pinch of salt until the onion is tender. Increase the heat to high and add the mince. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring to break up any lumps.
Add the soy and Worcestershire sauces and the tomato paste and cook until the meat is glossy. Add the beef stock and the cornflour mixture and bring to the boil. Season and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it catching on the base of the pan. The mixture should be quite thick, without too much liquid. Cool completely before assembling the pies.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
To assemble: Using 3 sheets of the pastry, cut 2 x 14cm circles from each sheet. Line the pie tins and fill with the mince. Chill for 10 minutes.
Brush the remaining 2 sheets with egg wash. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese and rosemary, then grind over salt and pepper, pressing it on lightly to adhere. Cut each sheet into 6 strips. Twist each strip and place 2 on top of each pie. Brush with egg wash and scatter over any cheese that has fallen off.
Bake for 30 minutes until puffed and golden and the pastry is really well cooked and crisp. Makes 6.

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