Homemade party pies

Method

In a bowl mix cornflour, tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and ½ cup water. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Finely chop the onion, then heat olive oil in large frying pan on a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until the onion becomes soft. Add the minced beef to the pan and break it up as it cooks, so the meat mixture is smooth without large lumps.

Once the meat has browned, add the sauce and stir until well combined. Allow the mixture to come to the boil, then reduce heat to low and allow it to simmer until the mixture has thickened, stirring every minute or so. Once thickened, allow the mixture to cool completely before using it in the pies.

Preheat the oven to 200°C and lay pastry sheets on a flat surface to defrost. Once defrosted use a 10cm round cookie cooker and cut 18 circles out of the short crust pastry. The pies will be baked in muffin tins. 

Spray the muffin holes with cooking spray and place the short crust pastry into them to make the pie case. Add a piece of baking paper and rice to each hole and blind bake for 10 mins or until cases are lightly browned. While the cases are baking, cut 8cm rounds in the puff pastry.

Take the muffin tins from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C. Add the meat mixture to each case. Brush the edges of the puff pastry rounds with water and then place on top of the cases. Press down gently to seal the pies.

Whisk the egg and then brush each pie with egg. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden on top. Remove from the oven and gently remove the pies from the muffin tray and sit on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.