Pastry

• 300 g(10½ oz/2½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 200 g(7 oz) butter, cut into small blocks
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 50 ml(1¾ fl oz) milk
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

For the pastry, put the flour and butter in a large bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt. Work the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it is crumbly and looks like sand. Add the egg and milk and continue working it until it comes together in a loose dough. Then add the vinegar and mix it in well so that the dough forms a loose ball. Flatten it slightly, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or so.

For the filling, heat half the oil in a large heavy-based pan and sauté the onion and shallots over medium–low heat until they are nicely golden and sticky, stirring often so they don’t stick. Add the garlic and cook until you can smell it.

In the meantime, heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan. Toss the meat pieces in the flour and fry in the oil, in two or three batches, until browned. Add each batch to the onions as it is done.

When all the meat is in the pan, add the butter and cook until it melts, then add the Cognac. When that has evaporated, add the worcestershire sauce. Cook for a minute or two and then add 500 ml(17 fl oz/2 cups) of hot water. Bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper and add the allspice berries. Remember how many you have added so that you can take them all out later. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring now and then.

Add 250 ml(9 fl oz/1 cup) of hot water, put on the lid and simmer slowly for another hour, stirring very often so nothing gets stuck on the bottom of the pan, until you have soft meat and a thick gravy. If you have a simmer mat, this is a good time to use it. Add a little more water if it seems necessary, or cook for longer with the lid off if there is too much liquid. Leave to cool slightly and fish out all the allspice berries.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Divide the dough into two, one part slightly larger than the other. Roll out the bigger portion on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3 mm(⅛ inch). Lower it into a 24 cm(9½ inch) pie dish or springform cake tin, patting it flat against the side of the tin. Spoon in the filling and then trim the dough so that you have a 2–3 cm(1 inch) edge. Roll out the second piece of dough to about 3 mm(⅛ inch) thick, then cut out a neat circle to match the diameter of the tin. Fit this over the meat and then fold the edge of the lower piece of dough over it, pressing the edge gently to seal it.

Mix the egg with the milk and brush generously over the top. If you have any leftover pastry you can make shapes or letters to decorate the top and brush those, too, with the egg wash. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and deep golden. Take out of the oven and leave to cool slightly before serving.