Add 2 tbsp oil into a large pan with 1 onion, 2 carrots and 2 tsp mixed herbs - start to soften on medium heat

Coat 400 g cubed beef in ½ tsp ground black pepper and 3 tbsp plain flour in a large bowl

After vegetables have been softening for 5 minutes, add 8 pork link sausages (cut in half) and continue to cook

Once sausages have browned and vegetables have softened slightly, remove from the pan into a separate bowl

Add the flour coated beef into the pan, with a little extra oil, and brown on all sides

Once cubed beef is browned, add 2 tbsp brown sauce and softened vegetables and sausages back in with 1 beef stock cube in 2 litre water (hob method)

Bring to the boil, then reduce to a medium heat and simmer for approx 75 minutes (no lid)

Stir through 60 g gravy granules (hob method) (use more if you like the gravy to be thicker)

Once cubed beef is browned, stir through brown sauce to deglaze the pan then add to slow cooker with cooked sausages and vegetables

Pour in 750ml beef stock and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours

Finally, stir through 40g gravy granules to thicken

Cut puff pastry in shape of pie dish (I always leave 1cm edge more than the size of the dish), and keep in fridge until needed

Spoon pie mixture into your pie dish and top with 320 g puff pastry, sealing the lid on top with a fork or create wave type pattern round the edges

Create two holes in the top (to allow steam to escape) and egg wash with 1 egg (whisked)

Pre heat oven to 200C (fan) / 220C conventional / 375F

If cooking straight away (ideally leave the filling to cool down slightly first as this results in the best puff pastry results) then oven bake for 20 minutes until golden brown

OR if refrigerating first (i.e. you’ve made it in advance) then oven bake for 35 minutes straight from the fridge until golden brown and piping hot throughout