Ingredients
For the pastry:
1 1/2 cups flour, plus some for rolling out dough
Fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage (about a 1/2 palmful)
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 cup white sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small piecese
1/2-2/3 cup whole milk or half-and-half
For the filling:
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into bite-size cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
Kosher salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 parsnips, chopped
1 large starchy potato, peeled and chopped
1 large bay leaf
3 tablespoons flour
1 bottle amber beer or dark beer (12 ounces)
About 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cans beef consommé or 2 1/2 cups beef stock
1 herb bundle of thyme, sage and parsley
1 egg, beaten with a splash of water
Directions
For the pastry, place flour in a mixing bowl and season lightly with salt, about 1/4 teaspoon. Add sage, poppy seeds, cheese, butter and milk or half-and–half. Combine to form dough. Pre-heat oven to 325°F. Bring meat to room temp and pat dry. Heat a Dutch oven with oil over medium-high heat. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown meat in batches then remove to plate. Add butter and melt then add vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, stir to soften a few minutes then stir in flour. Cook 1 minute more, deglaze pan with beer. Add Worcestershire, consommé or stock, reserved beef and the herb bundle. Cover and place in oven 2 1/2 hours to very tender. Transfer beef filling to a casserole dish. Raise heat on oven to 375°F. Roll out crust and top casserole, cut some slits in top of crust and brush with egg wash. Bake to deeply golden, 30 minutes.