The ultimate mince n’ cheese pie

Add 2 cm cubes of cold butter to sifted flour /salt and using fingers nudge till you have large flecks of butter about 1-2 cm in size

Using the ice cold water to just bring together to form a dough, use a plastic scraper to combine, roll pastry to approx. 30 cm in length and 20 cm in width • Visualise the pastry into three sections about 10cm in width, then give two folds to pastry, firstly left hand third over centre and then right hand section over remaining

Wrap in cling film and chill for 30mins (this is a good time to make your short crust pastry)

Remove Rough Puff Pastry from fridge and gently roll out again to 30 cm in length and 20 cm in width, give another 2 turns, repeating the same procedure as above

Using the top of your pie tins as a guide cut out lids (allowing for 5mm overhang pastry to allow for crimping to the sides)

With remaining pastry gently lay on top of each other and roll to 3mm height, to achieve lengths of pastry which maybe cut 5mm in width the create a lattice top

Mix all ingredients (except icy water) with fingers, ensure a few lumps of butter are visible

Add just enough water to bring together, place on worktop

Form gently, push away from me with the heal of my hand

Shape into semi square, wrap and place in fridge for 30 mins

Place 200ml whole milk, mustard powder, bay leaf, nutmeg, clove, white pepper, salt and butter in a heavy base saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer

Make a slurry by whisking cornflour, 100g whole milk and flour in a small bowl till smooth, add to the hot milk and keep whisking to ensure flour/cornflour cooked through and sauce thickens (this should take about 2-3 mins)

Whilst sauce is on low heat, add grated tasty cheese, cream and cream cheese and whisk through sauce (the sauce should be very thick), once smooth, remove from heat and set aside till ready to assemble your pies

Chop celery, shallots into very fine dice and sweat in a saucepan with olive oil bay leaf, salt and pepper and 1 tbs olive oil on low heat

Place a frying pan on to get really hot (ready to seal meat)

Chop garlic and parsley very small and add to pan with shallots/celery, allow to sweat for 3 mins

In the very hot frying pan seal beef and allow to brown, beef stock concentrate, nutmeg, clove and few grinds of black pepper over the browning meat, add salt, once browned add all tomato puree and add red wine, allow to reduce all liquid away slowly, add in sweated vegetables.

Make a cornflour and flour slurry with water and add to pan, stirring constantly allow to cook for 2-3 mins on a simmer (this will thicken, add water or any remaining red wine to adjust to a thick consistency, check seasoning and adjust if required and allow to cool

Preheat oven to 220 degrees celsius

Butter and line 4 individual pastry dishes

Roll out short crust pastry to 3mm height and cut large enough to cover the base and sides with 5mm overhang to allow for sealing and crimping with the rough puff pastry

Line with pastry dishes with short pastry (allow decent collar and overhang), fork bottom 3 times.

Divide cooked mince between the 4 pies, stopping short of 15mm from the height of the pie top (remember your cream cheese sauce is going here)

Using a tsp or piping bag place your sauce evenly across the top of the meat

Beat 1 egg and brush the edges of your pie to help seal your puff pastry topping

Place ‘pre-cut’ rough puff pastry on top, ensure a tight seal at edges by pressing down, allow a fancy crimp with finger and thumb, alternatively use the back of a fork (looks pretty and helps to get a tight seal)

Then brush tops with beaten egg again, and add lattice by interweaving the pastry strips, again after which brushing with egg wash

Carefully trim edges with a sharp knife

Place pies in oven on 220 deg. C for 20 mins

Turn down heat to 200 deg. C for 10 -12 mins, (if any very dark browning noted towards the end of cooking on pastry, place a large sheet of foil over the top of pies to prevent burning).

Melt butter and brush with hot butter when removed from oven to give a lovely shine and glaze