Aligot and beef bourguignon pie

Begin by preheating the oven to 140°C fan

In a large, oven-safe pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over a medium heat. Add in the bacon lardons and cook until crisp

Add the beef chuck to the pot and cook in batches, browning them on all sides. Remove the beef and bacon from the pot and set aside

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened

Stir through the carrots and then cook for another 3–4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release all their water, and then cook off the water so the mushrooms begin to brown

Return the beef and bacon to the pot. Sprinkle over the flour and stir to coat evenly

Cook out for 2–3 minutes, then pour in the red wine and stir to deglaze the pot 

Add the beef stock, tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme, then season with salt and pepper

Bring the mix to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven

Cook for 2 hours 30 minutes, or until the beef is fork tender and the sauce has thickened 

Meanwhile, prepare the aligot. Place the diced potatoes into a pot of cold, salted water and bring up to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender – this should take around 15 minutes 

Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot, then mash them until smooth 

Over a low heat, gradually add the butter to the potatoes whilst stirring

Warm the milk in a separate pan and gradually add it into the potato mix, stirring until fully incorporated 

Stir in the grated mozzarella and Gruyère cheese. Keep stirring until the mix is smooth, elastic and stretchy. Season to taste then set aside

To assemble the pie, turn the oven up to 180°C fan

Transfer the beef bourguignon base into a deep pie dish or baking tray around 20 x 20 cm 

Spread the aligot over the top of the beef base, making sure it reaches the edges of the dish

Bake the pie for around 20–25 minutes, or until the aligot is golden and crispy on top 

If needed, switch the oven to grill for the last 5 minutes to achieve a more golden crust, watching carefully to prevent burning 

Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving