Hearty Beef Ragu Pie

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the beef mince, onion and mushrooms. Fry until the mince has browned and the veg has softened, 5-6 mins.

Use a spoon to break it up as it cooks. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw mince.

While the mince fries, peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press).

Bring a large saucepan of water with 1/2 tsp salt to the boil for the potatoes. Chop the potatoes into 2cm chunks (peel first if you prefer).

When boiling, add the potatoes to the water and cook until you can easily slip a knife through, 15-20 mins. 

When the mince has browned, drain and discard any excess fat. Season with salt and pepper. IMPORTANT: The mince is cooked when no longer pink in the middle.

Add the garlic to mince and fry until fragrant, 1 min.

Stir the passata, red wine stock paste, mixed herbs and sugar for the sauce (see pantry for amount) into the mince. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, 3-4 mins.

Once the ragu is cooked, season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of water if it's a little thick. Transfer it to an appropriately sized ovenproof dish.

Cover with the pastry (see ingredients for amount), pressing it over the side of the dish or just sitting it on top, then trimming off any excess. Make a small hole in the middle to allow steam to escape. TIP: Brush the pastry with a little milk if you have some. TIP: Keep any remaining pastry for another recipe.

When the oven is hot, bake your pie on the top shelf until golden brown, 15-20 mins.

Once it's out of the oven, allow the pie to stand for 2 mins.

In the meantime, once the potatoes are cooked, drain in a colander and return to the pan, off the heat. Add a knob of butter and a splash of milk (if you have any) and mash until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid to keep warm.