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Preheat the oven to 375°
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In a large ovenproof lidded pot or Dutch oven over medium, heat the olive oil until it shimmers.
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Add the red onions.
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Sauté for ten minutes, frequently stirring until they have softened and cooked down. But not browned.
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Add in the butter, carrots, celery, and the mushrooms.
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Turn up the heat to high and cook for a couple of minutes.
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Add in the beef and the thyme and cook for 3-4 minutes more to get the beef browned here and there. You don’t have to be perfect.
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Add the Guinness and enough water to cover the beef and veggies. It is usually around 4 cups of water.
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Place the lid on the pot and place it in the oven.
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Cook for 90 minutes. Check to see if you need any more liquid, and give the filling a good stir.
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Cook for one more hour, the beef should be tender and the mixture slightly thickened. If the filling seems runny, put it back on the stove for a few minutes to cook away some of the moisture.
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Stir in one-half of the grated cheddar cheese.
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Set the filling aside to cool for 30 minutes or more before using. You can also put it into the fridge and use it the next day.
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When you are ready to bake the pot pie.
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Preheat the oven to 375°
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Butter a large 10-inch-deep dish pie pan or another casserole dish large enough to fit the filling.
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The puff pastry should come in two sheets. Roll out one of the sheets several inches larger than the baking pan. The pastry should be about 1/8 inch thick.
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Line the baking dish with the pastry letting the excess hang over the sides. Trim any excess to about 1 ½ inches or so. This is rustic, so there is no need to be perfect.
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Gently fill the pan with the beef filling.
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Sprinkle the second half of the cheese over the filling.
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Roll out the second pastry sheet and trim to a circle just a little bigger than the size of the baking dish.
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Score the circle with a knife being careful not to cut too deep in a crosshatch pattern.
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Place the circle on top of the beef filling.
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Gently take the overhanging bottom pastry and fold it inward to make a rustic edge.
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Brush the entire surface with a beaten egg.
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Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.