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Cozy Irish Stew Casserole Pie with Flaky Puff Pastry Crust

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A hearty and comforting Irish stew made with tender lamb and root vegetables, topped with a golden, flaky puff pastry crust. Perfect for cozy dinners and easy to prepare in under 90 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or beef drippings
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (Yukon Gold recommended)
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 4 cups beef or lamb broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 1 cup Guinness or any dark stout beer (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening)
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 8 oz), thawed
  • 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • Flour for dusting the surface

Instructions

  1. Chop the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, and garlic. Cut lamb into 1-inch cubes. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown lamb cubes in batches, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
  3. In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5-7 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add a splash of broth or water if needed to deglaze.
  4. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the vegetables and stir well to coat.
  5. Slowly pour in 4 cups beef broth and 1 cup Guinness, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
  6. Return browned lamb to the pot. Add diced potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for about 1 hour until lamb is tender and vegetables are soft. Stir occasionally and add broth if too thick.
  7. Lightly flour surface and roll out thawed puff pastry to fit casserole dish, leaving extra for crimping edges. Chill in fridge until ready to use.
  8. Remove bay leaf from stew and pour stew into pie dish.
  9. Cover stew with puff pastry, trim excess, and press edges to seal. Cut small slits on top for steam to escape.
  10. Brush pastry with beaten egg for a golden crust.
  11. Place casserole on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Watch closely last 10 minutes to avoid over-browning.
  12. Let pie rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow filling to set.

Notes

Brown the lamb thoroughly for best flavor. Keep puff pastry cold until baking to ensure flakiness. Let pie rest after baking to prevent filling from spilling. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour for thickening and gluten-free puff pastry. Vegetarian version can be made with mushrooms and vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: Irish stew, casserole pie, lamb stew, puff pastry, comfort food, easy dinner, hearty meal

Find it online: https://avabake.com/cozy-irish-stew-casserole-pie-recipe-easy-homemade-puff-pastry-crust/