Australian Meat Pies

I've bookmarked the recipe for these small Australian meat pies which I read about in a Filipino food blog, of all places, about 2 years ago. I'm not a meat pie enthusiast and never tried making them until a few days ago when I suddenly had the munchies for these meat pies. It must be the wintry weather. Haha!

Most of the recipes available online have ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste which didn't appeal to me so I chose to cook the simplest recipe and the one I have bookmarked earlier. The meat is chunky and has no wooster sauce and tomato paste. I like this pie. It's deliciously bacon-y and moist, and its gravy doesn't make a mess when eaten with hand, just like how the Aussies eat them.

Australian Meat Pies
recipe adapted fromhere

2 rashers bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
2 pounds chuck steak, cut into small cubes
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons sea or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
12 ounces water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
water
flaky pie crust, store-bought or homemade
puff pastry
1 egg, well beaten
ketchup

• In a medium skillet, saute bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is golden brown and onion has softened and translucent. Add steak and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add black pepper, salt, thyme, and water. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 
• Place flour in a small bowl; slowly add water and stir until smooth and runny. Add to the meat mixture and simmer while stirring until thickened. Leave to cool. 
• Cut and shape pie crust into five 6-inch rounds; place onto five 4-inch pie pans; trim edges. Spoon meat into crusts. Cut five puff pastry rounds. Place on top of pies; trim and seal edges with a fork. With the tip of a sharp knife, make a slit or small hole in the middle of puff pastry. Brush with egg wash. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven until golden brown. Serve hot with a teaspoon of ketchup on top.