Gluten and grain free AFL meat pie

It’s AFL season in Australia. After giving up gluten and feeling better for it, my husband, aka Mr ‘that’s never going to happen’, decided he wanted to make meat pie, an important part of watching football for him going back to when he was a boy and attended live matches with his dad. So I can’t take credit for this recipe - or the blame - but it’s pretty good. The crust is crumbly rather than puffy, and these pies are very filling.

PREPARATION TIME

30 mins + 1 hour for refrigeration and re-warming the dough to room temperature. This looks complicated, but it’s really not

COOKING TIME

20-30 mins

YIELDS

6 meal-size pies

NOTES

Make the pie dough first. When it’s resting in the fridge and then defrosting, make the filling

Grain free, Gluten free, Dairy free, Paleo

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

2 1/2 cups almond meal

1 cup coconut flour

1 1/2 cups tapioca or cassava flour

1 tsp Himalayan or Celtic sea salt

1 cup lard, frozen and grated

1 cup ghee, frozen and grated

2 pastured eggs

2 tsp white vinegar

1/2 cup icy water

FILLING

1 tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic chopped finely

2 celery stalks, chopped finely

1 carrot, chopped finely

200g chuck steak, cubed

2 stp tapioca or cassava flour

2 tbsp gluten free tomato paste

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2/3 cup bone broth, beef or chicken or use stock cubes

Dash of red wine, optional

1 tsp Himalayan or Celtic sea salt

Black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

CRUST

Mix the flours and salt together in a large bowl. Add the grated lard and ghee
Using your fingers, to gently rub together until you have fine crumbs
In a small bowl, whisk the water, vinegar and eggs
Pour over the dry ingredients. With your fingers, mix until a rough dough forms, then work it quickly into a ball
Cut into 6 wedges, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for around 30 mins until chilled
Heat the oven to 210C
Take the pasty out and leave to warm for 30 mins to prevent cracking
Roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper ensuring the paper doesn’t adhere to the dough. If it does, peel the paper off, scrape the dough away and begin again
When thin enough to cover the pie base and top, peel the paper off one side, place over the dough over the pie dish and remove the other paper to form the base. Fill in any cracks
Place the filling in the base and place the top over using the same method. Pinch the edges together and fill in any cracks
Brush the top with beaten egg
Cook for 20-30 mins until the crust is browned

FILLING

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook for 5 mins or until softened, stirring regularly
Add the beef and cook until browned, stirring regularly
In a small bowl, mix the tapioca or cassava flour with the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, stock, wine and seasoning
Add to the beef and vegetable mix and cook for 3 mins until thickened