Aussie Meat Pies

Pastry dough:
2 cups (500 ml) plain flour
4 oz (125 g) lard, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbs (40 ml) water, approximately
2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Filling:
1 oz (30 g) lard
2 onions, chopped
1 lb (900 g) ground (minced) beef
1/4 cup (60 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) dark soy sauce
2 tsp (10 ml) beef stock powder
2 cups (500 ml) water
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground allspice
2 Tbs (40 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
2 Tbs (40 ml) water, extra


For the pastry dough:
1. Sift flour into bowl, rub in lard.
2. Add eggs and enough water to make ingredients cling together.
3. Press dough into a ball, knead gently on floured surface until smooth, cover, refrigerate 30 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 8 portions.
5. Roll each portion on lightly floured surface large enough to line 4-inch (11cm) pie tins.
6. Trim away excess pastry.
7. Place tins on oven tray, line pastry with paper, fill with dried beans or rice.
8. Bake in moderately hot oven about 8 minutes, remove paper and beans, bake further 8 minutes or until pastry is lightly browned; cool.


For the filling:
1. Heat lard in pan, add onion, cook, stirring, until soft.
2. Add ground beef, stir over heat until browned.
3. Stir in sauces, stock powder, water and allspice.
4. Bring to boil, simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
5. Stir in the cornstarch mixed with the extra water, stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens.


Combining:
1. Spoon cold filling into pastry cases.
2. Cut eight 5-inch (12 cm) rounds from puff pastry, brush edges of pastry with a little egg yolk, gently press puff pastry tops into place; trim edges.
3. Brush tops with a little more egg yolk.
4. Make 2 small slits in center of pies, place on oven trays, bake in preheated 350F (180C) oven about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Serve hot with tomato sauce. Recipe can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.

Makes 8 pies.