Your choice of pie lid

This is not the pastry police - you can take the easy route and use a ready-made pastry sheet, either puff or shortcrust.

If you choose this option, use square foil trays or a casserole dish – approx 24x24x6 cms – 9½x9½x2¼” Wilkos sell the foil trays.

Cut the pastry lid to size and glaze with beaten egg. Pre-heat oven to 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 30/40 minutes depending on whether your meat is still hot from the slow cooker or has been left, say, until the next day.

Depending on the depth of your foil tray you may have enough meat left to freeze for another pie, or you could just serve the slow cooked meat, casserole style, with cheese and onion mashed potatoes for a change!

Make your own shortcrust pastry lid – with or without the cheese as mentioned in “Do you like making pastry?”

Make your own “pot” pies – you can decant the filling into your pots, cover and freeze. Make your pastry when you have time. You don't have to make lids that are an exact fit for your pots – cut out pastry circles, or hearts or whatever design your cutter collection inspires. Bake the pastry tops on a baking sheet and place on top of your pie filling. Perfect for a dinner party.

Create a dish that is designed for “feet up” in front of your favourite “guilty pleasure” viewing – three elements – mashed potato, ladle the steak filling, top with a pastry lid, serve with veggies of your choice.

No pressure – do whatever suits you!