The Fabulous Baker Brothers

Henry baked a traditional slow cooked steak pie in the weekly pie wars on The Fabulous Baker Brothers

Serves 4

• Good glug of olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 whole cloves garlic
• 1 star anise
• Good pinch of fresh thyme leaves
• 1kg beef chuck, shin or cheek, diced
• 2 big pinches of plain flour
• 2 big glasses red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon
• 500ml good-quality beef stock
• 500ml cold water
• 1 piece bone marrow (optional)
• 1 egg, beaten

For the pastry

• 250g plain flour
• 125g beef suet
• Good pinch of salt
• 125ml cold milk

1. To make the pastry, put the flour, suet and salt into a bowl. Add the cold milk, mixing the dry ingredients together. Once it's all come together, wrap it up in cling film and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.

2. Put the olive oil into a hot pan. Add the onions, garlic and star anise, stir then add the thyme. Fry the ingredients for a few minutes until soft.

3. Add the beef, season well and allow to brown - don't be tempted to stir it. After 3 minutes or so turn the beef and let it brown on the other side. Then add the flour and stir it through, followed by the red wine.

4. Boil the meat for a couple of minutes to burn off the alcohol and then add the beef stock and the water. Turn the heat down, put the lid on and let it simmer for 4 hours or until the beef is tender.

5. When the mixture has cooked spoon it into a pie dish and allow it to cool down. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. When the mixture is cool nestle the bone in the centre of the mixture, with the cut side facing upwards.

6. Roll the pastry out to ¾cm thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut a cross in the middle to let the steam out. Brush the edge of the pie dish with egg wash so the pastry sticks and put the pastry over the top of the pie. Using a fork, crimp the edge of the pie and carefully cut the excess pastry off round the edges.

7. Liberally brush the top of the pie with egg wash and put it into the oven for 40 minutes until golden.