Steak, Mushroom and Guinness Pie

Steak, Mushroom and Guinness Pie

Serves 4

Points per serving : 7½

Low-fat cooking spray
2 medium onions, finely diced
1 medium carrot, finely sliced
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
2 sprigs fresh sage, chopped
200g (7 oz) button mushrooms
4 tbsp plain flour
400g (14 oz) lean stewing steak, cubed
150ml (8fl oz) beef stock
150ml (5fl oz) Guinness
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g (3 ½ oz) ready rolled puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/Gas Mark 2. Heat a non-stick frying pan with the low-fat spray and fry the onions, carrot, celery and sage until softened, then remove from the heat and put into an ovenproof casserole dish.

In the same pan, fry the mushrooms until they are softened then add them to the casserole dish.

Sprinkle the flour on a plate, season, then roll the meat in it until completely covered. Spray the pan with low fat cooking spray again and fry the meat until browned all over. Add to the casserole dish. Pour the stock and Guinness over, cover and put in the oven for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, place a 20cm (8in) pie dish upside-down on the rolled out pastry and cut out a circle slightly larger than the dish.

When the meat mixture is cooked, carefully transfer to the pie dish and increase the oven temperature to 2200C/4250F/Gas Mark 7.

Place the pastry on top of the dish, using any trimmings to make decorative leaves for the top. Push down the pastry on to the edge of the dish to seal and "knock up" the sides. Brush with a little skimmed milk and make a slit in the middle for the steam to escape.

Bake for 15-20 mins or until risen and golden.