ManchesterChef: Meat, Potato & Onion Plate Pie recipe by chef Simon Wood

Everyone loves a pie. The average Brit eats a whopping 2,160 pies over their adult lifetime, according to a recent study – that’s 36 a year. It’s around £1 billion worth.

But how often do you make one yourself?

Now’s the perfect time to learn, and who better to guide us through the process than former MasterChef winner Simon Wood?

The Mancunian chef has been sharing his tips and tricks to create our favourite dishes, while restaurants are closed.

Whether it’s salt and pepper chips you’re craving, or KFC and gravy, Simon is full of ideas. Just check out his social media  for recipes and videos.

And now he’s created a pie recipe, especially for I Love MCR.

Here’s the recipe, and check out the video for a full step-by-step guide.

Simon’s Meat, Potato & Onion Plate Pie

Filling

• 350g Beef Mince
• 2 potatoes, 1cm cubed
• 1 Onion, diced
• 3 Sprigs Thyme
• 1 beef stock pot or cube
• 125ml Red Wine
• Salt & Black Pepper
• 1 egg to glaze the pie, whisked

Shortcrust Pastry

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 110g butter, cubed
• 6 tbsp cold water

Method – Pastry

Sieve the flour into a bowl to remove any lumps

Next put the flour, salt and butter in the food processor and pulse until the fat is mixed in with the flour.

With the processor running, slowly add the water until the dough comes together.

Only add enough water to bind it and then stop, you might not need it all

Wrap the dough in cling film as before and chill for 15 minutes before using.

Method – Filling

Bring a saucepan of seasoned water to the boil and add your cubes of potato, cook until softened, drain and set aside

In a large saucepan gently sauté your onions until softened with no colour, add in your salt & pepper followed by your mince and thyme and cook until browned, stirring frequently

Add your potato, followed by your wine and stock pot and reduce by two thirds before removing from the heat and leaving to cool slightly

Take a dinner plate and rub a knob of butter all over it, this will stop the pastry sticking

Next, Use a little flour to dust your surface and your rolling pin and roll out your pastry thinly, place over your plate and flatten, trim away any excess with the back of a knife.

Re-roll out the pastry trim and double check by placing the plate over it that it is big enough to make a lid! Next add the filling and then beat your egg, carefully brush the egg around the edge of the pastry to help the lid to stick.

Next roll the pastry lid around the rolling pin and then over the top of the pie, crimp around the edges and trim as before with the back of a knife. Roll your trim into a ball and use this to press the edges of the pie together before finally sealing it with the back of a fork

Brush with egg and bake at 190c for 20 minutes

Enjoy.