Angela Hartnett's Secret to Perfect Steak Pie: A Fridge Staple

As National Pie Week draws to a close, there's still ample opportunity to master a classic comfort dish that promises to delight the entire family. In a recent TikTok video, celebrated UK chef Angela Hartnett demonstrated her method for crafting an exceptional steak pie, sharing trade secrets that elevate both flavour and texture.

The Art of the Velvety Sauce

Hartnett, who prepared this hearty feast for comedian Tom Davis on the Dish from Waitrose podcast in February, follows a recipe originally developed by food journalist Diana Henry. The foundation of this dish is braising steak—a tender, flavourful, and economical cut typically sourced from the chuck, shoulder, or flank regions of the animal.

Braising steak requires prolonged, gentle cooking with moist heat, making it perfectly suited for pie fillings. This slow simmering process breaks down the meat's connective tissues, resulting in succulent, melt-in-your-mouth beef that forms the heart of the pie.

Hartnett's Flavour-Enhancing Techniques

After browning the meat and setting it aside, Hartnett introduces vegetables to the pan. Her first pro tip: add a generous knob of butter before incorporating tomato purée. This simple step enriches the vegetables and lays the groundwork for a more complex sauce.

Once the tomato purée has cooked for a minute, the steak returns to the pan along with any accumulated juices and beef stock. After simmering, Hartnett introduces her signature technique: a butter and flour mixture that transforms the sauce.

"With a whisk, incorporate the butter-flour paste into the sauce and observe it dissolving," she explains. Hartnett proudly notes the result: "Oh, look at that. And there's our beautiful bottom there. Look at that. No soggy bottoms, Mary."

The chef concludes, "It really is delicious. Thank you Diana, that's a wonderful recipe."

Creating Michelin-Star Quality at Home

Here is your comprehensive guide to recreating Hartnett's steak pie masterpiece in your own kitchen, complete with her expert modifications.

Steak Pie Recipe

Ingredients (serves six)

1kg British beef braising steak, cut into 2cm cubes
1½ tbsp groundnut oil or beef dripping
One large onion, finely chopped
One carrot, peeled and cubed
¼ small celeriac, peeled and cubed
One tbsp tomato purée
1L beef stock
Two bay leaves
Four sprigs thyme
15g butter, at room temperature
15g plain flour
320g all-butter puff pastry sheet
Two eggs (one lightly beaten, one separated with white lightly beaten, yolk reserved)

For the shortcrust pastry:

300g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
150g butter, chilled and cubed, plus extra for greasing
One egg yolk

Method

Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper to ensure optimal browning. Heat the oil or dripping in a heavy-bottomed pan and sear the beef in batches over high heat until well-coloured.
Transfer browned beef to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Add onion, carrot, and celeriac to the pan, frying over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until onions begin to colour.
Mix in tomato purée and cook for one minute. Return beef to pan with any juices, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and seasoning.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours, removing lid for final 30-40 minutes to reduce liquid.
Discard thyme and bay leaves. Blend butter and flour together, then gradually whisk small amounts into the beef to thicken the sauce.
Allow meat to cool completely before refrigerating.

For the pastry:

Combine flour, butter, and salt in a food processor, pulsing until mixture resembles peas. Add egg yolk and pulse again.
Add 1-3 tbsp cold water as needed to form dough. Shape into a disc, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Grease a 27cm pie dish. Roll pastry into a 30cm circle on floured baking parchment, then transfer to dish, pressing into base and sides. Trim edges and refrigerate for 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6 with baking sheet inside. Line pastry with crumpled greaseproof paper and baking beans, baking for 12 minutes. Remove paper and beans, bake 5 more minutes, then cool.
Brush base with egg white, bake 3 minutes, then cool completely.
Roll puff pastry large enough to cover pie with overhang. Chill on baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Spoon beef filling into pastry case. Brush rim with beaten egg, then place puff pastry lid on top, pressing edges to seal. Trim excess.
Crimp edges with fork, brush top with beaten egg, and pierce steam holes in centre.
Bake on preheated sheet for 30-35 minutes until golden, risen, and piping hot throughout.