This is a rich and tasty beef pie with a twist. The beef is slow-cooked in Guinness, beef stock, Marmite and herbs until it becomes incredibly tender and can be shredded into the rich gravy. It is then layered with soft potatoes and carrots and topped with delicious flaky puff pastry. The Guinness and Marmite give the filling a lovely deep, savoury flavour. 

• Serves 6
• 1kg beef brisket
• oil for frying (I used Olive)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, large chunky slices
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp. plain flour
• 1 can of Guinness
• 1 pint good quality beef stock
• 1 tbsp. marmite
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauces
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. soft brown sugar
• 1 celery stick, halved
• 2/3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg

• You’ll need a large deep baking tray for the pie, or a pie dish. This recipe makes a large pie, reduce the amount of beef if making a smaller pie.
• Heat the oil in a deep casserole dish and brown the beef, set aside.
• Add the onions and carrots and sauté for a few minutes, then add the garlic.
• Spinkle in the flour and coat the veggies.
• Pour in the Guinness and let this cook off for a few minutes.
• Add the stock, marmite, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, sugar and celery, mix well.
• Add the beef back to the pot and let this cook on low for an 1hour
• Next add the potatoes, cook for another hour.
• After this time the beef should be tender, and the spuds extra soft. If the beef is still a little tough, carefully remove the potatoes and carrots and place into the oven tray. Let the meat cook for a little longer.
• Discard the celery and thyme sticks.
• Once tender remove carefully and shred.
• Arrange the shredded meat, potatoes and carrots in the pie tin.
• Ladle over some of the liquid, you don’t need to use it all, just enough to cover the meat and veggies, it is good to keep some to use as gravy.

To prepare the pastry:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
• Cut the pastry into long strips.
• Using a pastry brush, dip in water and wet the edge of the pie tray.
• Place a strip of pastry along all of the tin edges, this will hold the pastry in place.
• Now lay over strips of pastry in a weave effect.
• Whisk an egg and brush the pastry well.
• Place the pie into the oven, bake for around 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is puffy and golden.
• Serve.