Beef Pie
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef chuck or round cut in 1 1/4" cubes
- 7 T flour
- 3 T shortening
- 2/3 C tomato juice
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire
- 2 tsp salt
- 2/3 C peas fresh or frozen
- Dash pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 whole cloves
- 4 medium carrots
- 8 sm white onions
- 3 med potatoes
- 1 stalk celery
- Herbed Crust:
- 1 1/2 C flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
- 1/2 C shortening
- 3-4 T ice water
Instructions
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Coat meat well with 4 T flour. Over med heat, slowly heat shortening in Dutch oven. In it, brown meat cubes well, turning on all sides. Add 3 C water, tomato juice, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and cloves. Cover; simmer 1 1/2 hours, or until just tender. Meanwhile, prepare vegetables: Peel onion; leave whole. Pare potatoes; cube. Cut celery in chunks. When meat has cooked 1 1/2 hours, add vegetables. Cook 30 min., or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°. To thicken gravy: remove vegetables and meat: set aside. In small bowl, blend remaining flour and 3 T water. Blend quickly into cooking liquid; cook, over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Combine vegetables, meat, and gravy in 2-1/2-qt. casserole. Top with Herbed Crust. Slash steam vents. Fold under edge of crust; seal to edge of casserole; crimp. Bake 30 min., or until golden-brown.
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Herbed Crust: Sift flour and salt into med bowl. Stir in dill. Cut in shortening, with pastry blender or 2 knives, until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add ice water, and stir briskly. Form pastry into a ball, and chill in refrigerator until ready to use. Roll pastry on floured board or pastry cloth. Cover casserole, sealing pastry securely to moistened edge of dish. Crimp edge; slash top, to release steam.
