I am loving the happy foodie scene at Street Food Thursday at Markthalle IX that’s been going on since April! At Street Food Thursday I came across Korean BBQ and tacos, Indian (and can I point out that it really was good Indian food!), smoked fish and a fabulous Tarte Tatin stall. But it was the meat pie that caught my eye!
Michael Minch delivers rich and delicious food at his stall serving real English pies that straight away made me think of home. It is not often that you come across these in Berlin. The only other place that I have found them is at the New Zealand deli/café Dairy in Prenzlauer Berg. Although I have not tried THAT hard to look for them, it did make me realise how much I love and miss a good pie.
I make a meat pie using puff pastry and it is easy to prepare – making it one of my instant go to comfort foods.
Ingredients: serves up to 4
1 tbspn olive oil
Pinch of salt/ black pepper
500g mince beef
1 onion (peeled and diced)
3 medium size carrots (peeled and diced)
3 celery sticks (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
Handful of mushrooms (roughly chopped)
1 tspn chilli flakes
1 tbspn cumin powder
2 tbspn tomato puree
100ml red wine
300ml hot beef stock
Fresh rosemary and thyme
1 roll puff pastry
1 medium free range egg
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Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5/ 190 degrees Celsius.
Heat the olive oil in a large deep pan. Add the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt and gently cook for around 4 minutes. Then add the celery. Leave for a further 1 or 2 minutes.
Add the meat to pan bit by bit, breaking it up with a wooden spoon so that the meat browns and crumbles. Stir in the cumin and chilli flakes and then add the mushrooms.
Stir in the tomato puree and add a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Pour in the wine and then gently pour in the beef stock, give a good stir. Put the pan on a medium/ high heat with the lid on and cook for around 20 minutes or until the mixture has boiled down and is thick.
Take the pan off the heat and scoop out the sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Leave to cool slightly for 5 minutes and then transfer to an oven dish.
Line the puff pastry over the top of the oven dish, tucking in at the sides and pressing down firmly around the edges. Beat the egg in a small bowl and with a brush gently spread this over the top of the pastry.
Place in the oven for around 20 – 25 minutes or until the pastry is well risen and golden. Leave to stand for a further 5 minutes and then serve.
This is great with some garlic mash potatoes!
For more great recipes check out A Modern Rose website!
