Old-Fashioned Beef Hand Pies

Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan/Gas 3). In a large flameproof casserole dish, heat the vegetable oil over medium-low heat. Add the chopped celery, onion, carrots, and bay leaves, and sauté until the vegetables have softened and become fragrant.

Stir in the diced beef (there is no need to brown it first). Add the butter and plain flour, stirring well to coat the meat and vegetables. Gradually stir in the tomato purée and beef stock, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Cover the dish with a lid and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for at least 30 minutes more, or until the beef is melt-in-the-mouth tender and the sauce has thickened into a rich gravy. Remove from the oven and let the filling cool completely.

Once the filling is cold, increase the oven temperature to 200°C (180°C fan/Gas 6). Unroll the puff pastry sheets and cut out eight rounds, approximately 14cm in diameter.

Place four of the pastry rounds onto two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Divide the cooled meat mixture evenly among the four bases, leaving a wide border around the edges. Brush the edges with some of the beaten egg, then place the remaining four pastry rounds on top as lids.