Beef Pie (Australia)

What would Australia be without a classic meat pie? This recipe for Aussie meat pie is a favourite for sporting events and working lunches because they're so easy to transport. They're also filled with hearty goodness, including a tomato-based mix of lightly spiced ground beef.

Filling:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
14 oz lean ground beef
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
¾ cup beef stock
1/8 cup tomato paste
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Vegemite or 1 cube vegetable bouillon

Pastry:
4 sheets pie pastry, frozen, thawed
1 large egg, beaten

Garnish:
ketchup

Make the Filling:
Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium finely chopped onion and fry for 3-4 minutes or until soft and translucent.

Add 14 oz (400 g) ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned. At this point, you can drain the beef, if desired. But it should be quite fat-free if you used lean ground beef.

In a small container, whisk together 1 Tbsp. cornstarch and 1 Tbsp. of the beef stock and set aside.

Add remaining beef stock, 1/8 cup tomato paste, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, and Vegemite or bouillon cube to ground beef in skillet. Stir well to combine.

Add reserved cornstarch-water mixture and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and cool.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7).

Place pie dough on a lightly floured surface. Place the pie tin on top and cut a circle around it. Repeat process to make 3 more circles - these are the pie tops. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside.

On the same lightly floured surface, place remaining pie dough and a pie tin on top and cut a circle that's slightly larger than tin (about ½" bigger) - this is the pie base. Repeat process to make 3 more bases.

Press base pastry into pie tins and press up the sides. Fill with cooled meat mixture. Brush rims with water.

Place pie tops over meat. Use a fork to press edges to seal. Trim edges if necessary. Brush tops with beaten egg.

Place pies on a baking tray to catch any drips and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Serve with tomato sauce (ketchup).