Pie Floater – Australia

Imagine if you will: flaky pie crust, filled with seasoned ground meat of choice and vegetables like leeks, carrots, and celery. This is then floated in a bowl of bright green pea soup and served with a dollop of tomato sauce on top.

Here is the recipe to start your magical floating pie.

INGREDIENTS

Part I:

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1⁄4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups beer (good beer – not Fosters)
• 1 1⁄2 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons Vegemite (use Marmite if Vegemite not available)
• 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Part II:

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 yellow onion, extra, finely chopped
• 1/4 lb potato, peeled, finely chopped
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 3 cups chicken stock

Part III:

• 4 sheets frozen butter puff pastry, just thawed
• 1 tablespoon creme fraiche

STEPS

Part I:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Increase heat to high. Add ground beef. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the ground beef starts to brown.
3. Add tomato paste and flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
4. Add beer and stir. Add stock and Vegemite. Simmer for 30 minutes until thickened.
5. Add parsley. Set aside to cool.

Part II:

1. While the ground meat mixture is simmering, heat remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add extra onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
3. Add potato, peas, mint and stock. Simmer for 20 minutes or until potato is soft.
4. Cool slightly. Blend with a hand blender.

Part III:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Preheat oven tray on lowest shelf.
2. Use a pizza cutter to cut a disc from the corner of 4 pastry sheets.
3. Ease remaining pastry into four 4-inch (10cm) diameter round springform pans. Divide ground beef mixture among pans.
4. Top each with a pastry disc. Press to seal edges. Trim excess.
5. Cut 2 slits on each pie top. Place on tray. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. Transfer tray to top shelf. Cook for 15 minutes until golden.
7. Return soup to medium-high heat. Add creme fraiche. Simmer until warmed though.
8. Divide soup among 4 bowls. Top with pies.