Gluten Free Shepherd's Pie (with Lee's GF Short Pastry)

I've been mucking around for a few weeks now trying to perfect Gluten Free Short Pastry. I have always been able to make short pastry, but it's never been quite the same as what I remember as the real thing that my nana used to make.  It's taken me about 11 attempts and I've discovered a lot of things along the way about how to get the right dough consistency, how to blind bake, and also how to do the little things (like prepare and dust the tin so it's easy to get it out of the tray once it's cooked).  All this so I could create proper pies.  Hmmmm pies :-).  I'm pretty pleased with what I've come up with, so thought it was time to share it on the site.  For me, this is as close to normal short pastry as I'm ever going to get.
In this particular recipe, I'm making a traditional shepherds pie (yes - it actually is my nana's shepherd's pie recipe).  I hope you like it.

Ingredients: (Short Pastry)

Dry Ingredients:

• 120 grams White Wings Gluten Free Self Raising Flour(Orange Packet)
• 120 grams of White Wings Gluten Free Plain Flour (Orange Packet)
• 60 grams of Rice Flour
• 60 grams of Almond Meal
• 4 x dessert spoons of GF Corn Flour
• 3 x teaspoons  of Xanthum Gum
• 2 x tablespoons sugar
• 1 x teaspoon of salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 x teaspoon of vinegar
• 4 x eggs
• 80 mls good quality olive oil

 Method: (Short Pastry)

• Please use digital scales to make sure you measure the right amount of each flour.
• Pre heat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
• Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and toss well with a fork for 1 minute
• Add your  vinegar and eggs and mix by hand, crumbling the flours between your fingers.
• Drizzle in your oil slowly and continue to crumble d press in your hands till the dough forms a ball.
• Once the dough ball forms, add 1 extra dessert spoon of oil.
• Lightly need to dough while it's still in the bowl, pressing it with your knuckles
• Don't over work it.  (You should be worried it's a little dry and it ist just holding ogether.  That's perfect Stop!)
• Break the ball in half and roll it out between two pieces of baking paper till the pastry is around 4 millimeters thick.
• Leave it between the pastry for a few minutes while you prepare your pie dish.
• Your choice whether you use the other half of the pastry to roll out and make a lid for your pie. I didn't in this particular recipe, because I topped the pie with mashed potato (It's a shepherd's pie recipe).  So wrap the second ball of dough tightly in cling wrap, put it in a zip lock back and freeze it for next time  (It freezes well).
• When you eventually want to defrost the ball for your next pie recipe, pull it out of the freezer early and allow it to thaw for two hours. Lightly need it again with wet hands and you'll be good to go. If still too dry, add olive oil a teaspoon at a time.
  

 Prepare Your Pie Dish:

• I found that a deep Pyrex dish around 6 inches works best.  I find it holds the heat well and it's thick enough so the pastry doesn't burn.
• Over the sink, spray your dish heavily with canola cooking spray.
• Then lightly flour the disk with rice flour (Sprinkle it by hand)   (This is what later prevents the pastry sticking)
• Turn out your pastry into the pie dish and push into the edges and trim the edges.
• Prick all over with a fork
• Blind bake for 15 minutes  (There's no need to weigh the centre down with rice).
• Remove it from the oven. Keep it in the dish and let it cool .
  

Ingredients: (Shepherd's Pie)

• 1/2 an onion
• 500 grams of premium grade mince
• 1 x dessert spoon of mixed herbs
• 20 x mls of Tamari
• 1 x 800 gram tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 400 gram tin of red kidney beans
• 1 x cup of good quality frozen vegetables
• 50 grams of grated cheese
  

Method: (Shepherds Pie)

• Fry up diced onions for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
• Remove from the pan and place to one side
• Add a teaspoon of olive oil to the pan and fry up your mince till well browned.
• Add your fried onions back in.
  
• Add mixed herbs and around 20 mls of Tamari  (a liberal splashing) :-)  (Note, You won't need to any more salt)
• Open and tin of red kidney beans into a strainer and wash then under the kitchen tap to remove the brine.
• Add the red kidney beans to your mince
• Open an 800 gram tin of chopped tomatoes and add to your mince.
• Add in your cup full of mixed vegetables
  
• Cook on medium for around 30 minutes.You want it to reduce it so it begins to dry out.  Just a little liquid needs to remain.  Stir occasionally.
  
• While you're waiting peel and chop 6 small potatoes and boil them for 10-15 minutes till their soft and ready to mash
• Drain the water off the potatoes, add a dob of butter and mash well.  Add only a splash of milk as you want to keep your mashed potato pretty dry too. 
• Assemble you pie by spooning your cooked mince into the pie. Filling to the 3/4 depth mark. Lightly press down the mince with the back of a spoon.
• Use the back of a fork to scoop / place the layer of mashed potato on top of the pie. Filling the pie dish to the top.  (Score with the fork for effect).
  
• Add a little grated cheese to finish it off.
• Place the pie back in the oven for a further 10 to 15 minutes (until the cheese is browned on the top)
• Remove your pie and allow it to cool for a cp\ouple of minutes.
• Slice it up while it's still in the pie dish.
• Carefully remove your slices of shepherd's pie using a flexible egg flip  (The pastry should hold pretty well and should easily lift out)
• Enjoy with a glass of your favourite red wine.