Preparation

1. FOR THE BEEF: Trim exterior sinew, retain trim for stock or jus. Weigh out total weight of trimmed beef cheeks and cure with 2% of the weight of protein. Sprinkle the mix evenly and cure for 2-3 hours. For example: for 2kg of protein then 40g cure is required.
2. Vacuum seal cheeks in bag with uniform sizes in each bag to ensure even cooking. Place the sealed beef cheeks into a deep gastronorm tray and cover with hot water, ensuring the bags are fully submerged and not overcrowded. Cook in a combi oven at 100°C with 80% steam for 15 minutes, then reduce to 83°C and continue cooking for 6 hours or until tender. Alternatively, cook the sealed beef cheeks in a water bath at 83°C for approximately 6 hours.
3. FOR THE POLENTA: Combine the water and milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down to low. Slowly add the polenta into the liquid in a steady stream while whisking constantly. Once incorporated, swap the whisk for a wooden spoon and cook out for 5 minutes on a medium heat, stirring continuously. 
4. Add butter, parmesan and seasoning and beat in until smooth. Allow to cool and adjust the texture with milk if necessary to give a soft pipeable texture.
5. Pipe a layer of polenta into the pastry case about 1 cm thick on top of the meat.
6. FOR THE VEGETABLES: Blanch warrigal greens or spinach and refresh in an ice bath. Strain, squeeze off excess liquid. Insert a layer on top of the starch into the pastry case.
7. FOR THE BEETROOT SALAD: combine all ingredients, season to taste. Insert at the top of the pastry case.
   8. To seal the lid on the pie. Place the square lid on top of the pastry case, lining up the corners. Pinch together the centres of all four sides one by one. 
   9. Whisk an egg with a pinch of salt and brush over the pastry top. Sprinkle with black pepper and bake at 180c for 25 min or until the pastry is golden. Allow to cool before unfolding and serve with tomato relish. 

Cafe notes 

• Stacking ingredients in a pie gives a modern aesthetic and social media appeal when cut to
  reveal its cross section.
• This “meal in a pie” is a great way of elevating a simple dish into a meal worth remembering.

Shortcut pastry

Ingredients

• 500g all-purpose plain flour
• 300g cold butter, very cold and cut into 4 cm dice
• 2g fine salt
• 175g iced water
• 25g white vinegar

Preparation

1. Add the flour, butter and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on slow speed. Stop when most of the butter has been rubbed into the flour but large chunks of butter remain. 
2. Mix together the water and vinegar, turn the mixer back on slow and slowly pour into the mixer bowl, mixing continuously, until incorporated. 
3. To ensure the pastry is not overworked, remove it from the mixer and knead by hand until it is just combined. There should still be large streaks of butter visible through the pastry. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour before use.
4. Pin pastry 3mm thick and cut one 14cm square base for each pie, and a 11cm square lid. 
5. Spray a round pie tin with oil and line with the base pastry, living the four corners protruding from the top of the tin.
6. Bake at 180c for 30 minutes or until golden brown.