Pepperberry Beef Pot Pies

Method

1. Season your beef pieces with a generous pinch of salt. Bring a heavy-based large pot to medium-high heat, add a good glug of olive oil, and brown your beef pieces in batches until they’re nice and brown and caramelised on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Return the pot to heat without removing any of the beef juices and oils that have been left behind – this is all great flavour! If a lot of the oil has dissipated, add another small glug in followed by your diced onion and a pinch of salt, and sauté to soften – about 3 mins. Follow your onion with the carrot pieces and sauté for a further 2 mins. 
3. Add in your wine (if using) and deglaze the base of the pot to get all the sticky juices from the bottom. Add in your crushed garlic, pepper berry and leaf and ground pepper berries and stir to combine until nice and fragrant – about 1 min.
4. Return your beef to the pot, followed by the flour, and toss to coat and toast of the flour slightly – about 1 min. Add in your beef stock and mustard and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 2 hours, until the beef is nice and tender and soft. Remove the lid and cook on low for a further 30 minutes until the sauce is nice and reduced and thick.*Keep an eye on it during the 2.5 hours and stir frequently – if it needs a little more liquid add more stock or water. It should end up the consistency of thick gravy.
5. Preheat your oven to 220c degrees/200 fan-forced. Cut your pastry tops out by placing your ramekins on top of the pastry and cutting 1.5cm away from the edge – this will allow for the pastry to rise and will ensure no leakage. Divide your beef filling between the ramekins and brush the edge lightly with your beaten egg. Add your pastry circles on top pressing around the edge to ensure they don’t lift up. Cut a small vent into the centre of each pastry circle, brush with the remaining egg and place on a tray and into the oven for 20 minutes.
6. Once golden and puffed up, remove the pies carefully from the oven and set aside to rest for 5 mins before serving. Enjoy!