Brew and Pie

Last weekend our home brew was finally ready for tasting - and it was good!!! It had a lovely golden colour (and very clear) and had a delicious full bitter flavour! I'm very happy with the outcome of our first attempt and can't wait to start on another batch whilst having fun getting through this one!!

We decided to rustle up a mushroom and ale pie using a bottle of our brew and it was so delicious - the flavour of the ale really came through.

You can use any of your favourite ales in a pie - although I'd say ones with stronger flavours are better.

Here's how to make...

You will need...

1 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
Quite a lot of mushrooms (we used 2 boxes - 1 white / 1 chestnut), sliced
2 bay leaves
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
A good dash of dried rosemary / mixed herbs
1 tbsp Vegemite / yeast extract
A few glugs of mushroom ketchup / Worcestershire sauce
300ml of your favourite ale (or stout, for a heavier flavour)
A few sprinklings of plain flour to thicken
Sheet of puff pastry (we used ready made)
Salt/pepper
Milk for brushing on top

Method

Preheat oven to 200. In a large pan, saute onions in oil for about 5 minutes until soft, add garlic and all the herbs and fry for a few more minutes. Add mushrooms and saute until their juices get going, about 10/15 minutes...

Stir in Vegemite / yeast extract and mushroom ketchup. Add ale and simmer for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle in enough flour until the mixture starts to thicken.

We kept it going for about 30 minutes after that until it was really think and rich...

Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Transfer the mixture into a pie dish and lay the rolled out puff pastry on top. Brush with milk and cut a few holes in the surface for the air to escape. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden...

Enjoy!