Beef and stilton pie

Special equipment • 1-quart (1.1-liter) pie dish

ServeS 2

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

2 onions, coarsely chopped

12oz (350g) leftover roast beef, sliced

2/3 cup beef stock

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4½oz (125g) blue cheese, such as Stilton or Gorgonzola

half of a 17.3oz (425g) box frozen puff pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed as package directs

1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash

Method:

1 Preheat the oven 400°F (200°C). Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, and cook very gently for 5–8 minutes, or until soft.

2 Add the beef, and pour in the stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly, then spoon the mixture into a 1 quart (1.1-liter) pie dish, and crumble the cheese over the top.

3 On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry until it is a little larger than the pie dish. Wet the edge of the dish with a little water. Cut out a strip of pastry about 1in (2.5cm) from the edge to make a collar. Wet the edge of the pie dish with a little water; fit the pastry strip all the way around, and press down firmly. Brush the collar with a little egg wash, and top with the pastry lid. 

4 Trim away the excess. Using your finger and thumb, pinch together the edges to seal. Brush all over with the egg wash, make a slit in the top, and bake for 30–40 minutes until golden and puffed. Serve hot.

Beef and stilton pie