Name: Pastry-free beef and spinach pie recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 200 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil (or oil of choice); 1 stick celery (finely chopped); 1 tbsp coriander root (finely chopped); 1 tsp turmeric; 2 pods cardamon; 2 tsp cummin; 1 kg chuck steak (diced); 500 ml vegetable stock; 1 capsicum (diced); 500 grams spinach leaves; 2 bay leaves; 1 cup dried tomatoes; 6 grinds pepper black; 1/4 sweet potato (peeled and sliced into thin rounds); handful fresh coriander leaves

I have missed home made meat pies! After a year or more of no pastry of any kind I finally came up with a good alternative.

My SIBO diagnosis and my son’s intolerance diagnosis has removed some of our previous family favourites from our table, including pies. I have always found a pie to be a crowd pleasing dinner, easy to make and full of flavour. I like to slow cook the filling, or make it the day prior. It can then be added to a pasty base to cook.

A good pie recipe is a necessity for using up bits in the bottom of the crisper, to hide some extra vegetables for the kids and to warm everyone’s belly and heart on a miserable winter’s night. I have been pondering (obviously not too hard since it’s taken me so long!) how to make my son a pie for the past year since he was diagnosed as gluten, dairy and egg intolerant. I’ve not been able to find a gluten-free pastry that is also egg and/or dairy free. When I was thinking about this recipe I considered adding mashed potato as the top but I was keen to re-live the crispiness of pie pastry in the topping.

You could also use the meat filling from this recipe to serve on a bed of rice with a side of vegetables if the sweet potato (kumera) topping doesn’t appeal.

I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know if you make it.

Pastry-free beef and spinach pie recipe

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

3 hr 20 mins

Total Time

3 hr 30 mins

Topped with a crisp layer of sweet potato this family beef and spinach pie is the perfect winter dinner. Free from garlic and onion, this meat pie is suited to the SIBO diet

Course: Main, Main Course

Servings: 4 people

Author: Kyrstie Barcak

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil or oil of choice
1 stick celery finely chopped
1 tbsp coriander root finely chopped
1 tsp turmeric
2 pods cardamon
2 tsp cummin
1 kg chuck steak diced
500 ml vegetable stock
1 capsicum diced
500 grams spinach leaves
2 bay leaves
1 cup dried tomatoes
6 grinds pepper black
1/4 sweet potato peeled and sliced into thin rounds
handful fresh coriander leaves

Instructions

Add the oil, celery and spices to a pot set to low heat on the stove top and heat until fragrant
Add meat to brown, stirring to coat in the ingredients in the pot.
Add the stock, capsicum, spinach, bay leaves, and tomatoes, stir and add freshly ground pepper
Bring to a simmer, cover and leave to gently simmer for 2 and a half hours.
Heat oven to 190-200 degrees celcius.
Remove the meat from the stove and spoon it into four individual pie dishes. Ensure each one has liquid in the dish as when it continues to cook in the oven it will dry out if there is some not liquid in each.
Lay the slices of sweet potato on top of each dish to cover. Brush the sweet potato with olive oil and place into the oven to brown for 20-25 minutes
Serve with fresh herbs and a side of vegetables of choice

I have been using celery instead of garlic or onion in my cooking as I have a wonderful supply in my garden at the moment. It is considered suitable to eat on the SIBO Fast Tract diet however I have noticed it is not suited for a low FODMAP diet so leave it out and use chives instead if it is not suited to your circumstance.

I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as we did.