The Pie Crust Challenge

I am lucky to be able to make anything I feel like, but when that anything is a pie, things become a bit more complicated. In normal circumstances, it would be far easier just to buy a pie anyway, but for me that's not an option.

When I decide to do something, there is no stopping me, until I get it right. Yesterday morning, I awoke to thoughts of meat pies floating in my head and slowly I began to piece my mission together, until finally I was ready for the "Pie Crust Challenge".

Beef and Vegetable Pie (Gluten, Dairy, Egg and Yeast Free):
(Makes 1 Large Pie)

The pastry taste of victory - how deliciously satisfying.

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 320g Nature's Choice Gluten-Free Pancake and Crumpet Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Nature's Choice Baking Powder (After Being Mixed)
• 12mls Olive Oil
• 12mls Cold Water

Pie Filling:

• A Tablespoon of Olive Oil
• 1 Large Onion, Diced
• 2 - 3 Sticks of Celery, Diced
• 4 Carrots, Sliced into Rings
• 500g Beef Goulash/ Steak Cubes
• 1 Green Pepper, Diced
• 1 Red Pepper, Diced
• A Tablespoon of Paprika
• A Tablespoon of Potato Flour/ Corn Starch For Thickening
• A Bunch of Fresh Thyme
• A Teaspoon of Dry Chilli Flakes
• Herbal Salt

Directions:

• Put dry ingredients into a bowl
• Pour olive oil bit by bit into the dry ingredients
• Rub together until crumbly
• Add water little by little until dough sticks together into a ball
• Wrap in cling film or a clear plastic bag
• Place in the fridge for 30 - 45 minutes

• Heat oven to 180 degrees
• Fry onion in olive oil with a dash of salt
• Add celery and beef cubes and fry until meat is browned
• Sprinkle over paprika and potato flour or corn starch and mix everything together
• Add enough water to cover beef
• Add thyme
• Add carrots, green and red pepper
• Add herbal salt and chilli flakes to taste
• Simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes
• Take pastry out of the fridge
• Roll out until thin
• Pour pie filling into a pie dish and top with the pastry
• Create a pattern by pressing the edges with a fork
• Prick the pastry to make breathing holes
• Place in the oven and cook for 20 - 30 minutes until golden