Australian Individual Potato-Meat Pies

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Place the potatoes in a large, heavy saucepan . Add enough cold water to fully cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender; about 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Drain the potatoes in a colander, then return to pan and add the milk, butter, and salt.

3. Step 3

   Use an electric mixer to beat the potatoes until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, cream using a potato masher. Set aside to cool.

4. Step 4

   To make the beef filling, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft and translucent.

5. Step 5

   Add ground beef and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned.

6. Step 6

   In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of beef stock and stir well. Set aside.

7. Step 7

   Add remaining beef stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce , and Vegemite to beef. Stir well to combine. Add cornstarch mixture and stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and cool.

8. Step 8

   Preheat oven to 425 F / 220 C.

9. Step 9

   Place pie tin, face-down, on the first pastry sheet and cut a circle that's slightly larger than the tin (about 1/2 inch bigger)—this is the pie base. Repeat process to make another 3 bases.

10. Step 10

    Press base pastry into pie tins and gently press pastry up the sides. Fill with meat mixture. Brush rims with water.

11. Step 11

    Spoon mashed potato into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle and squeeze potato topping in a pinwheel motion on each pie to cover the meat filling.

12. Step 12

    Place pies on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until the potato filling is slightly golden. Serve with ketchup or mushy peas with additional gravy.