I never knew my Scottish grandparents as they had died before I was born, but was very close to my English mum’s parents who lived near Barrow-in-Furness. Every summer, my mum, brother and I took the train from the Glasgow to Lancaster, then a small one from there to Roose where granny met us, walking home to her house where we would spend most of the summer holidays. I adored Granny – loved slipping into bed with her first thing in the morning for a cuddle in her crepe de chine nightie! She was a pastry chef and baker and made the most wonderful cakes and pies. One of her “specials” was meat and potato pie – and it turns out John’s grandma was also the maker of meat and potato pies. Thus, this special pie is definitely one of our favourite comfort dinners – particularly on such cold and raw days. It’s taken me a while to experiment with the pastry but I think his is it.
Meat and Potato Pie (I’ve scaled down the recipe for 2 – but it will taste good tomorrow with pickles and mustard)
- 250 grams stewing steak
- 2 – 3 potatoes and 1 chopped onion
- 110g Self raising flour
- 40 grams suet
- 30 grams chilled butter
Braise the meat till tender in some stock (oxo)on top of the hob. Boil the potatoes and onions till soft. Drain, keeping the water to thicken for gravy with the meat juice. Put the meat, potato and onion into a pie dish. Make up the gravy with the vegetable and meat water with granules till thick, pour over and allow to cool.
Measure the flour and suet into a bowl. Grate in the butter and rub together. Make the pastry adding a little water to come together. Roll out on a floured board and cover the meat mixture in the dish. Score a cross in the top and pop in a hot oven (about 200oC) and bake till golden brown. Serve with green vegetables and mustard. Guaranteed to fill you up and keep out the cold!
Ailsa cooks for One 