Huey's Beef & Worcestershire Pies

A recipe which Huey (Aussie chef Iain Hewitson) classifies as GOOD OLD AUSSIE TUCKER, which means the recipe's origins are Anglo-Saxon (i.e. pre-European culinary influences). In posting this recipe, I have "converted" Huey's "a generous slurp of Worcestershire sauce" to 2-3 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce. Be guided by your taste preferences here.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6 Huey's Beef & Worcestershire Pies

Ingredients

•  olive oil, for sauteing
• 1  onion, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
• 2 -3  slices  rindless bacon, chopped
• 600  g  lean stewing beef, cut into smallish cubes
• 2  tablespoons plain flour
• 2 (410 g) cans diced tomatoes, drained
• 1⁄2 liter  beef stock
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley
• 2  bay leaves
•  sea salt, to taste
•  fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 2 -3  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, to taste
•  puff pastry sheet
•  cooking spray
• 1  egg
• 1⁄2 cup milk
•  good quality tomato sauce, to serve

Directions

1. Heat a little oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and gently sauté the onion, garlic and bacon until tender, stirring now and again.
2. Add the cubed steak and gently cook until it changes colour, stirring regularly.
3. Then stir in the flour and briefly cook.
4. Add the tomatoes, stock, parsley, bay leaves, seasonings and Worcestershire sauce; mix well, bring to the simmer and then turn the heat down; gently simmer for about 1 hour until the meat is very tender; remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
5. Cut the pastry sheets into six rounds and press into individual, lightly oiled pie tins, leaving a little pastry around the edges; put them on an oven tray and refrigerate while the filling is cooking.
6. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°-375°F/gas mark 4-5.
7. Combine the egg and milk, and cut out six smaller pastry rounds.
8. Spoon the filling into the cooled pastry tins and fold in the pastry edges; paint the edges and the smaller pastry round edges with egg wash; place the rounds over the pies, press down the edges and place on an oven tray; brush again with the egg wash and cook in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
9. Serve the Beef & Worcestershire Pies with tomato sauce on the side.