Meat Pie Recipe

Sauté aromatics

Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter. When butter has melted and starts to foam, add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Brown the meat

Add the ground beef and ground pork to the pan. Break up with a spatula and cook until no longer pink and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if there is more than 2 tablespoons, leaving a little for flavor.

Build the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes to caramelize. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of flour over the meat and vegetables and stir to coat; cook 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the beef stock while stirring to avoid lumps.

Simmer to thicken

Add Worcestershire sauce, chopped thyme, and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to a slightly saucy, scoopable consistency, about 12–15 minutes. If it reduces too much, add up to 1/2 cup more stock or water.

Finish the filling

Stir in the frozen peas and chopped parsley. Cook 2–3 minutes until peas are heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (15–25 minutes) before assembling into pastry so the pastry doesn't get soggy.

Prepare pastry dough

Combine 3 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp sugar in a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or two forks (or pulse in a food processor), cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces remaining.

Bring dough together

Drizzle ice water (start with 6 tablespoons) over the flour-butter mixture and gently mix with a fork until dough starts to come together. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed; total about 7–8 tablespoons. Do not overwork. Gather into two discs (one slightly larger for the bottom crust), flatten to about 1 inch thick, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).

Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) about 20 minutes before baking so it's fully up to temperature when assembling.

Roll and fit dough

Lightly flour your work surface. Roll the larger dough disc to about 12-inch diameter to fit a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan or a 9-inch pie plate with slightly higher sides. Carefully transfer dough to the pan, pressing gently to fit and leaving a slight overhang. Roll the second dough disc for the top to about 11–12 inches, or roll into strips for a lattice if desired.

Assemble pie

Fill the prepared bottom crust with the cooled meat filling, spreading evenly (leave about 1/2 inch clearance at edges). Brush the edge of the bottom crust lightly with a little beaten egg. Place the top crust over the filling. Trim excess dough leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold the overhang under and crimp the edges to seal. Cut several small slits in the top crust to vent steam (or create decorative vents).

Egg wash and bake

Whisk the beaten egg with 1 teaspoon milk. Brush the top crust evenly with egg wash for a golden finish. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking until crust is deep golden and filling bubbles through vents, about 25–30 more minutes (total 45–55 minutes). If edges brown too quickly, shield with foil after 25–30 minutes.

Rest and serve

Remove the pie from the oven and let rest on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes to set the filling. Slice and serve warm. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 3 days and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through.