Well, it’s the first post of 2022 and also the first one after us clubbers took a rest from the kitchen in what was a very hectic last part of 2021. After a busy Christmas in the kitchen, we’ve got a stack of goodies for you, some favourable to the going one way on the belt holes, some the other.

In true FatSteak Club style, we thought we would kick off with some gadget action that makes pies, and big ones too! It’s not the first time we’ve featured a pie maker here, back in 2018 it was the turn of the retro Brevillie Pie Maker. So what’s different this time?

Simply put, make it bigger! This time around it’s the turn of the deep fill pie maker from the Hairy Bikers which I got a Christmas present.

So come boxing day I was itching to give it a spin. What better way than to put in some of the leftover goodness from Christmas dinner. A combo of roast beef, garlic roasted potatoes, onion and filled to the top with sage and onion stuffing. Glorious stuff.

All I can say is where has this pie combo been all my life! More pie adventures have followed, which will be shared in due course.

Here’s to quality 2022, hopefully, filled with many pies!

Step 1 - Prep your filling

• Slice up the left roast beef into small chunks

• Chop up your leftover roast potatoes

• Slice up an onion

• In a pan, over low heat, melt a large knob of butter then add your onions

• Adding a pinch of salt, stir your onions and sweat them until they are soft and translucent

• Once ready, add your flour and stir it to develop into a roux

• With it nice and thick, let it down with a little water so you have a nice thick gravy

• Add a good grind of pepper and salt to taste

• Add in the beef and the potato and stir well. Warm through for 5 minutes

• Once done take off the heat and set aside to cool

Step 2 - Prep your pies

• Spread out the pastry and use the supplied cutter to make two bases and two lids. Make sure they are well dusted with flour to ensure they don’t stick. If rolling yourself, make it about 3 to 4 mm thick

• In the pie maker, lightly grease it with some oil on kitchen paper

• Add in the pastry base, making sure the pastry edges overlap to make a solid base.

• Add in the cooled beef mixture

• Top with some crumbles of left over stuffing

• Finally, add the pastry top

Step 3 - Fire up your pie maker

• Closing the lid and make sure that the catch closes properly

• Turn on at the wall and leave for about 7-10 minutes

• Check the pies, you want the pastry crisp and brown

• When done switch off at the wall, lift the lit and leave for a few minutes

• Finally turn out and leave to cool and then see how long you can wait before that get snaffled
  Top tip: If you make a batch, leave it 5 minutes between each for the pie maker to cool otherwise the pastry starts to melt and doesn’t work as well

Christmas Leftover Pie

• Leftover roast beef

• Leftover potatoes

• White onion

• Butter

• Flour

• Shortcrust pastry (Assumes ready-made shop-bought)

• Stuffing