Beef and Kidney Pie

Begin by preparing the kidneys for cooking. Carefully remove any excess fat and membrane, then cut them in half lengthwise. Next, use a knife to carefully remove any white tissue from the center of each kidney half. Finally, dice the kidneys into chunky pieces.

In a large pot, melt butter or lard over medium heat. Add the kidney and steak pieces to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is nicely browned. Add sliced onions to the pot and season with salt, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, thyme, and bay leaves. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water and bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow it to cook for about 1 hour, or until the meat is almost tender.

Add diced potatoes to the pot and continue to simmer until they are tender, approximately 30 minutes.

Mix together the remaining 1/2 cup of water and flour until a smooth paste forms. Stir this mixture into the beef and potato mixture, then continue to cook and stir until the filling has thickened. Transfer the mixture to a 3-quart casserole dish.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). To make the pastry topping, roll it out slightly larger than the top of the casserole dish. Place the rolled-out pastry over the meat mixture and trim it to leave a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Fold the excess pastry under the edges of the dish and flute against the inside edge to create a decorative border. Finally, cut several slits in the crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake the pie in a preheated oven until it is golden brown on top and the filling is bubbling, approximately 30 minutes.