Potato-topped beef pie

Serves 6
1 sheet ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten
3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
50g butter, melted, for brushing

For the filling:
50g butter
2 small onions, finely chopped
1kg beef clod (from the muscly neck area, great for mince) without too much fat, chopped
80g plain flour
250ml beef stock (see below)
2 thyme sprigs
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 handful chopped parsley
salt and pepper
1 pinch grated nutmeg

First make the filling. Melt the butter in the saucepan. Add the onions and fry over medium heat until they soften. Add the beef and fry, pressing down with a fork, until it has browned. Drain off the pan juices, adding them to the stock. Sprinkle the flour over the meat, stir, and continue cooking for another two minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually add the stock, mixing well. Return the pan to the heat and stir constantly until the mixture boils and thickens. Add the thyme, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt and pepper and nutmeg. Cover the pan and leave to simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 240°C/Gas 9. Line your pie tin with the shortcrust pastry and prick the base several times with a fork. Cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper and weigh down with baking beans. Bake blind for 20 minutes, then lift out the paper and baking beans and brush the pastry case with beaten egg.

Decrease the oven temperature to 190°C/Gas 5. Spoon the filling into the pastry case and top with the sliced potatoes. Brush the potato with lots of melted butter, then put the pie into the oven and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Serve with tomato ketchup.

Beef stock

Makes 5 litres:
10 kg beef bones
4 large carrots, roughly chopped
4 large onions, roughly chopped
vegetable oil
2 heads garlic, halved
1 bunch celery, roughly chopped
2 large leeks, roughly chopped
a few bay leaves

Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Put the bones in a large bowl or sink and cover with cold water. Add a handful of salt and leave for 10 minutes - this will draw out the blood.

Throw the water away and put bones in a large roasting pan with the carrots and onions. Sprinkle with a little oil and roast for about 40 minutes or until brown (and I mean brown).

Tip everything from the roasting pan into a stockpot. Add the remaining ingredients, cover with water, and bring the stock to a rolling boil. Pour in about 500ml cold water, which sets any fat as it rises to the surface. Adjust the heat so that the stock just ticks over and start skimming the grey foam that will come to the surface. (As apprentices we used to put our eggshells in the stock as they help to collect all the muck.)

Keep the stock ticking over for eight hours, skimming as necessary. Strain the stock and leave it to cool overnight, so any remaining fat settles on top and is easy to lift off and throw away, leaving you with a clear, well-flavoured stock.