Aussie Meat Pies, Made Quick

serves four

I got Rachael Ray 365 : No Repeats : A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners from a friend for Christmas. I haven’t used many of the recipes simply because most of them contain a list of ingredients that would blow my week’s grocery budget on one meal. Some of the problem is not having a well-stocked pantry, I suppose. The other is the fact that if you’re going to only cook for 30 minutes, you have to have a lot of good quality flavorful ingredients. Anyway, I already had most of the stuff for this one, and it went together very quickly (I had always wondered about that “30 minute” claim!) I cut it in half which was easy for all the ingredients, and I did as Rachael Ray and guesstimated most measurements. It turned out yummy! Dave really likes it.

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, defrosted but kept chilled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste
1 rounded tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup beef stock or broth
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning
ketchup for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. With a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry sheets into 4 squares each, 8 squares total, and arrange on a cookie sheet. Season the squares with a little salt and pepper. Bake the puff pastry according to the package directions, or until golden brown all over, about 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Let it get really hot so the meat will caramelize when it hits the pan. Add the EVOO, then the butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the beef and really work at breaking it up as it browns—get the bits all nice and tiny. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour. Cook the mixture a minute more.
4. In a small bowl, combine the Worcestershire with the tomato paste and brown sugar, then stir in the stock. Whisk the seasoned stock into the pan. Stir into the meat and combine. Season the meat with the grill seasoning and reduce the heat to low.
5. When the pastry squares are ready, assemble the pies. Place a square of pastry in the bottom or a shallow bowl. Top with one quarter of the meat mixture and another square. Place a large dollop of ketchup in the center of the top pastry and sprinkle the “pies” with chives to garnish, then serve.