The first recipe for steak and kidney pie was written down in 1694 - cementing its place in Britain’s kitchens for hundreds of years to come. While the flaky pastry and gravy and meat filling has a deep-seated and nostalgic appeal for many Brits, the first version of the bake didn’t much resemble what we have come to know and love today. The combination of diced steak, kidneys, onions and a rich gravy has been the accepted filling for the culinary staple since the 19th century - but its chameleonic history opens up the possibility of further alterations, aimed at boosting the comfort dish’s warm flavours.
One slight adjustment to the well-known recipe that claims to do just that is baking royalty Mary Berry ’s version of the classic meal, which has one special ingredient that she swears by to boost its hearty and satisfying taste. As well as seasoning her diced beef and lamb kidneys with onions and stock, Mary recommends keen cooks reach for the Worcestershire sauce to add a “tangy umami” flavour to the meaty filling. Ingredients 500g beef stewing steak, diced 250g lamb kidneys 1 large onion.
2 tablespoons plain flour 500ml beef stock 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 bay leaves Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry 1 egg, beaten, for brushing the pastry Method Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 180°C to prepare for baking the pie. Brown the steak and kidneys: Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-hig.