Mum's steak and kidney pie

Preheat oven to 190c/fan 170c/gas 5. Put onion, steak and kidneys into a large casserole dish. Pour over boiling water until meat is completely covered (this will seal the meat). Crumble the stock cubes into the dish and stir well. Place in the pre-heated oven for 2 hours.

20 minutes before the end of the two hours, remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the gravy granules into the mixture, until the mixture is thickened to your liking. Stir, then return to oven for the final 20 minutes.

While the meat is finishing, cut the block of pastry in half. Take the first half, and roll out on a floured surface to about 5mm (this can be adapted to your liking, but make sure there is enough to line your pie dish with some excess). Using a 9-inch pie dish, line the bottom with the pastry, making sure there are no gaps between the tin and pastry, and the pastry is pressed firmly against the sides of the tin. Take the second half of the pastry, and roll out on your floured surface, to roughly the same thickness, ensuring it will cover the top of the pie with some excess.

Remove the meat from the oven, and use a slotted spoon to transfer all the meat to the pie. Add leftover gravy, you can use however much you like but be careful not to use too much as it will boil. Dampen the crust of the pastry with milk or water, then place the lid on top, pressing firmly all round the edges to seal. Trim off the excess pastry, using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors. if you like, you can take a fork, and, using the back, make a pattern round the edge of the pie- as well as being decorative, this will help seal it.

Place the pie in the still-hot oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. If you like, you can strain any remaining gravy and serve it with the pie.