This is nice and easy to make as all you have to do is put a puff pastry lid on top of a dish filled with your stewed meat. I never serve anything else with these pies but if you want to, boiled potatoes and steamed greens always hit the spot.
Method
Season your beef generously with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the flour and toss around until coated. Heat 2 or 3 lugs of olive oil in a large casserole-type pan and fry your meat, in 2 batches if need be, until golden brown. Add the onion and fry for 1 more minute, then add the carrot, celery, parsnips and herbs. Fry for a further 4 minutes then pour in your Guinness. Add the tinned tomatoes and bring to the boil. Stir around, then simmer for around 2 hours or until the meat is really tender. The sauce should be nice and thick with an intensely tasty flavour. Season. At this point you could serve it as a stew with mash, or it will keep really well for a good 5 days in the fridge (while improving in flavour at the same time).
To make the pies, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5. Put your meat filling into an appropriately-sized baking dish or dishes. I like to make small individual pies - any high-sided