Mini chilli beef pies

Method9 steps · about 1 hr 25 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel and finely chop the onion (1 small). Heat all the sunflower oil (1 tbsp) and fry all the onion for five minutes until softened. Add all the hot chilli powder (2 tsp) and ground cumin (2 tsp) and fry for one minute more.

   Onion 5 min then chilli powder/cumin 1 min · 6 minUses 1 tbsp sunflower oil · 1 small onion · 2 tsp hot chilli powder · 2 tsp ground cumin

2. 2

   Step 2: Add all the raw minced beef (250 g) to the actual spiced onion pan. Break it up and cook for a few minutes until browned, then stir in all the concentrated tomato purée (85 g), prepared beef stock (150 ml) and the large pinch of ground cinnamon.

   Uses The complete spiced onion pan · 250 g raw minced beef · 85 g concentrated tomato purée · 150 ml prepared liquid beef stock · 1 large pinch ground cinnamon

3. 3

   Step 3: Stir the chilli, bring to a boil, then simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes until very little liquid remains. Add all the already-cooked drained and rinsed kidney beans for the final five minutes of that simmer. Check the minced beef is fully cooked, reaching at least 71°C /160°F.

   Reduce chilli; add cooked beans for final 5 min · 20 minUses All the assembled chilli · 200 g already-cooked kidney beans, drained and rinsed

4. 4

   Step 4: Taste the cooked chilli and adjust with the separate filling salt and black pepper only as needed. Leave it to cool enough for filling the pastry cases; refrigerate promptly if assembly is delayed.

   Uses All cooked reduced chilli · Salt for tasting the cooked chilli, as needed · Black pepper for tasting the cooked chilli, as needed

5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6. Use a 7 cm cutter to stamp twelve circles from enough of the ready-rolled pastry, keeping the actual remaining pastry for the next twelve cases.

   Uses Pastry used to cut the first twelve 7 cm circles; hold the actual remainder for twelve more

6. 6

   Step 6: Line twelve mini-muffin holes with the first prepared circles and prick their bases with a fork. Bake at 200°C /180°C fan /gas 6 for ten minutes, then carefully remove the cases and let them cool on a wire tray.

   Bake first twelve pastry cases · 10 minUses Only the first twelve cut circles

7. 7

   Step 7: Cut twelve more 7 cm circles from the reserved remaining pastry, line the mini-muffin tin and prick their bases. Bake this second set for ten minutes at the same oven setting, then cool on a wire tray. You now have twenty-four baked cases.

   Bake second twelve pastry cases · 10 minUses Only the remaining pastry for the second twelve cases

8. 8

   Step 8: Meanwhile, peel the large potato (1 large) and cut it into chunks. Boil all the chunks in water until tender, then drain well. Mash with all the soured cream (3 tbsp) and the separate mash salt and black pepper to taste. Wash and chop the chives (2 tbsp) to measure two tablespoons, then stir them through the actual mash.

   Uses 1 large potato, about 250 g, peeled and cut into chunks · Water to cover the potato chunks in their pan · 3 tbsp soured cream · 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives · Salt for potato mash, to taste · Black pepper for potato mash, to taste

9. 9

   Step 9: Spoon one to two teaspoons of the actual chilli into each baked pastry case and top with about one teaspoon of the actual mash. Ruffle the mash with a fork, put the pies on an oven tray and bake at 200°C /180°C fan /gas 6 for fifteen minutes or until the mash is golden and filling is piping hot. If the filling was chilled, check it reaches 74°C /165°F. Serve the twenty-four small party pies; keep any unused chilli or mash refrigerated promptly.

   Bake filled mash-topped mini pies · 15 minUses Enough of the actual cooked chilli for 1–2 tsp in each case; keep any unused filling separately · All twelve first-batch cases · All twelve second-batch cases · The prepared mash for topping the cases