Individual Beef Pot Pies

In a large Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add beef and brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan and set aside.

Add onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Cook over medium heat until tender. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook about 5 minutes longer. Add thyme, rosemary, and paprika. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Return beef to the pot and pour in broth. Stir to combine and bring to a low simmer. Cover the pot and allow stew to simmer until beef is very tender, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours. At that point, remove the beef as best you can and shred beef with two forks. Then return it to the pot.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and milk/cream. Pour into the pot and bring up to a simmer. Cook until the stew thickened a bit, about 5 minutes. Stir in frozen peas and remove from heat.

If making individual pot pies, pour filling into 4-6 individual-sized baking dishes. (If making one large pie, pour into an 8″ x 8″ baking dish.) In a small bowl, make egg wash by whisking egg with 1-2 teaspoons of water.

Roll puff pastry out slightly on a work surface and brush it with egg wash. Cut pastry into 4-6 squares, large enough to cover each baking dish. (If making one pie, don’t cut it). Place pastry over each baking dish. Use a sharp knife and make a few small slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape while baking.

Bake pies at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until golden.

Makes 4-6 individual pies or 1 (8″ x 8″) pie.