Steak and Ale Pie

1. Place the flour in a medium-sized bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Roll the beef in the flour to coat.
2. Place a large lidded pan on the hob (stovetop).
3. Heat half the butter in the pan over medium high heat and add the meat. Sear meat all over until golden brown.
4. Add the vegetables and herbs, then pour in the ale and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and gently simmer on the stove for 1½ hours.
5. Remove the bay leaf and discard. The mixture should have thickened up and reduced quite a bit. If yours is still really liquidy then I recommend adding some corn starch (mixed with cold water first) to thicken it up quickly.
6. Preheat the oven to 425F.
7. Once cooked, season the stew with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add the remaining butter and tip the mixture into an ovenproof serving dish or pie dish. Brush the edge of the dish with the beaten egg.
8. Roll out the pastry and cover the pie. Scrunch the pastry round the edge of the dish and trim around the edge, leaving a little overhanging. Pinch the edges of the dish so that the pastry will stick to it and trim off any remaining pieces of pastry from around the edge.
9. Brush the pastry top thoroughly with beaten egg and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown on top and serve immediately.