Neil’s Phở Pie

COMPLIMENTARY RECIPE

“I met an award-winning artisan pie maker named Neil Broomfield, who was inspired by my Vietnamese phở recipe and decided to make a pie version of the traditional beef noodle soup. The result was stunning. The recipe makes more broth than you will need for these pies, but it freezes well and will never go to waste.” - Chef Luke Nguyen

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp dried mint
mash and gravy, to serve
Phở Broth
½ cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp black peppercorn
1 black cardamom pod
1.5 cm piece ginger
1 bulb garlic, halved
375 g beef bones
2 large pieces bone marrow
Pastry
625 g plain flour
1 large eggs, lightly beaten
250 g cold unsalted butter
1¼ tsp salt
½ tbsp milk
Caramelised onion puree
50 g butter
4 onions, thinly sliced
pinch ground cinnamon
1 star anise
Beef filling 
60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
550 g beef mince
½ tsp finely chopped ginger
½ tsp finely chopped garlic
¾ tsp smoked sea salt
¾ tsp ground white pepper
½ tsp chilli flakes
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground star anise
½ tsp apple jam
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 lime, zested and juiced
½ bird’s eye chilli
75 ml stout
6 spring onions, chopped
½ bunch coriander, chopped
150 g shredded smoked ham hock
2 tsp lard (optional, see Note)

METHOD

Chilling time 1¼ hours

To make the phở broth, place all the ingredients and 4 litres of water in a large stockpot, then bring to the boil over high heat. Skim any impurities from the surface, then reduce the heat low and simmer for 3 hours. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, discard the solids and set aside. Reserve remaining stock for another use.

Meanwhile, to make the pastry, place the flour, eggs, butter and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add the milk, then gradually add about 90 ml cold water and process just until the pastry comes together. You may not need all the water. Divide the pastry in half, cover each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or until firm. 

Lightly grease and flour ten 3 cm deep and 10 cm round pie tins. Working with one portion of pastry at a time, roll out onto a lightly floured surface until 2 mm thick. Using a 17.5 cm round plate or lid ( I use the food processor lid as it is the perfect size for my tins), stamp out 10 rounds and carefully drape into the pie tins to cover the base and sides, patching with any excess pastry if necessary. Using a 12.5 cm lid or cutter, cut out 10 rounds from the remaining pastry for the lids. Refrigerate the lined tins and the pastry tops for at least 1 hour or until ready to fill.

To make the caramelised onion puree, melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add the onions, spices and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring regularly, for 1-1½ hours or until soft and caramelised. Remove and discard the star anise, then using a stick blender, puree until smooth.

To make the beef filling, heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, breaking up any lumps with a whisk. Add the caramelised onion puree, ginger, garlic, spices, apple jam, fish sauce, lime juice, zest, chilli and 1¼ cups pho broth and cook for 15 minutes. Add the stout and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, then stir in the spring onion and coriander and set aside. Place the shredded ham hock into a food processor with the lard and process until a paste forms. Stir into the beef filling, then refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold.

Preheat the oven to 190ºC.

Fill the lined pie moulds with the beef filling up to about 1 cm from the top. Lightly brush the exposed pastry with egg wash, then place the pastry lids on top, squishing your thumb in inside mould rim and pinching thumb and fingers together with pastry in the middle. Using a rolling pin, roll over the top of the tins to make a clean cut, then remove the excess pastry. Brush the tops with egg wash, then sprinkle each pie with a pinch of panko breadcrumbs, sesame seeds and dried mint. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Serve hot with mash and gravy.

Note

If lard is not available, substitute with butter or omit.