"An English-style pub pie, made with red wine to make the beef very tender. You can use the recipe for two pies (make two batches of pastry) or make one pie and use the remainder for stew."
1Combine 2 3/4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. Cut lard into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing to mix. Gather the dough into a ball, divide it in half, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough while you prepare the filling.
2Mix together 2 1/2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, paprika, pepper, ginger, and allspice in a bowl. Dredge the steak pieces in the seasoned flour and set aside.
3Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in beef cubes and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent and the beef is browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Pour in beef broth and red wine and simmer until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
4Roll out one pastry crust on a lightly floured surface to fit a 10-inch pie plate. Place the crust in the pie plate, cover it loosely with plastic, and refrigerate. Roll out the top crust for the pie and set it aside.
5Stir the potatoes and carrots into the beef mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
6Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
7Transfer the beef mixture to the pastry-lined pie plate. Sprinkle with an additional 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, if desired; cover the pie with the top crust and crimp edges to seal. Cut vents in the crust or prick with a fork to allow steam to escape.
8Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Footnotes
Cook's Notes:
For a different flavor, you can substitute Butter Flavored Crisco® plus 1 tablespoon sugar for the lard in the pastry. You may also omit the carrots from the pie and use 1/2 cup more potato instead.