Short and Stout Pie

For the Filling:
4 pounds boneless short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
Coarse salt
Fresh ground pepper
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons safflower oil
1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 12-ounce bottles stout, preferable Guinness
2 rosemary sprigs
1 pound cipollini onions, peeled

For the Topping:
6 large russet potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Coarse salt
Fresh ground pepper

For the filling, preheat the oven to 300°F. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Dredge them in flour, coating all sides. Transfer to a large plate. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches, brown short ribs, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a large plate using tongs.

Reduce heat to medium. Add yellow onion to Dutch oven, and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Return meat to Dutch oven. Add stout and rosemary. Bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to oven. Bake for 2½ hours.

Now add cipollini onions and braise until meat is tender and onions are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Shred meat using two forks. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 12-inch pie pan.

For the topping, raise oven temperature to 375°F. Arrange potato slices over meat to form tight concentric circles, working around the edge and overlapping each potato by three-quarters. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour.
Yields: 6 – 8 Servings (one pie)

Recipe adapted from Souders Studios Pies