Beef bourguignon, the classic French beef stew with red wine, is a famous dish, but adding a pastry top makes it extra special and substantial. If you have a pie funnel, sit it in the centre of the meat before adding the pastry – this allows the steam to release, preventing the crust from going soggy. It’s old-fashioned but useful! As not everyone has a pie funnel, I’ve suggested simply making a cross in the centre of the pastry here instead
MARY BERRY
The recipe
Serves 6 Hands-on time 30 min, plus chilling Oven time 3 hours 5-10 min Specialist kit 2 litre baking dish
MAKE AHEAD The pie can be made up to 5 hours in advance and kept in the fridge before baking. The pie also freezes well uncooked – just defrost fully before baking.
• 600ml red wine
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 800g British braising beef, cut into 4cm cubes
• 200g smoked bacon lardons
• 500g baby shallots, peeled but kept whole
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 400g button mushrooms
• 55g plain flour
• 150ml beef stock, chilled
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
• 500g block all-butter puff pastry
• 1 medium free-range egg, beaten
1 Heat the oven to 140°C fan/gas 3. Pour the wine into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and reduce by a third (to give 400ml) – this will take around 10 minutes. This gives a more intense flavour.
2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep ovenproof frying pan (or hobsafe casserole) over a high heat. Add the beef and brown in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3 Add the bacon and shallots to the pan and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes until brown. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and fry for few minutes.
4 Measure the flour into a bowl. Pour in the cold stock and whisk until smooth. Add the stock mixture and reduced wine to the pan and bring up to the boil, whisking until thickened. Stir in the tomato purée, thyme, bay and redcurrant jelly.
5 Return the beef and any resting juices to the pan and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for about 2½ hours until tender.
6 Trans
