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1
You will need a casserole dish and a 1.2 litre pie dish for this recipe
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2
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan.
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3
Fry the bacon strips with the onions until pale golden brown, stirring regularly.
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4
Add the garlic and fry for a minute or two until softened.
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5
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions, garlic and bacon to a flameproof casserole dish.
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6
Cut the steak into rough 2.5cm cubes and season with salt and pepper.
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7
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the frying pan and fry the meat over a medium heat in 2 or 3 batches until well browned all over.
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8
Add extra oil if the pan seems dry.
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9
Transfer the beef to the casserole dish as it is browned.
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10
Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4.
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11
Deglaze the frying pan with half the ale.
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12
Bring it to the boil while stirring hard to lift all the sediment from the bottom of the pan.
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13
Pour this over the beef.
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14
Add the remaining ale, then the stock, tomato puree and herbs.
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15
Bring everything to the boil, then cover and cook in the oven for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
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16
Remove the dish from the oven, stir in the cornflour paste, then put it back for 5 minutes or until the juices are thick.
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17
Adjust the seasoning to taste and leave to cool.
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18
Turn the oven up to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6.
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19
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms over a high heat for about 5 minutes until golden, then add them to the meat.
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20
Spoon everything into the pie dish around the funnel.
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21
Roll out the puff pastry on a well-floured surface until about 5mm thick and at least 5cm larger than your pie dish.
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22
Cut some strips, about 1cm wider than the rim of the dish, from around the edge.
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23
Brush the rim of the pie dish with beaten egg and fix the strips in place, overlapping a little where necessary, then brush with more egg.
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24
Place the pastry lid carefully over the filling.
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25
Trim off the excess pastry with a sharp knife and knock up the edges.
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26
Brush the top with beaten egg.
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27
Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.
