Beef Casserole

1. Filling
2 and 1/2 pounds ground beef

4 cups beef broth [undiluted cans of consomme
or beef broth]

5 cups diced potatoes
1 - 10 oz. can peas or 2 cups fresh peas
1 and 1/2 cups diced celery
1 chopped onion
garlic cloves 

4 to 5 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup water

2. Pastry
1 and 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons milk

Brown ground beef in skillet.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook each vegetable in beef broth, beginning first with the 
potatoes, followed by the peas [if using fresh peas], then the 
diced celery and onion together.

Drain and save the broth. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix 4 to 5 tablespoons of flour with the 1/2 cup of water, to 
make a paste. Add the paste to the beef broth and return to a 
boil.  Boil until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.

Combine the ground beef, vegetables, and the broth in a 9 x 12 
baking dish.

To make pastry:**
Cut shortening into flour.  Add salt and milk and mix by hand until 
pastry is pliable.  Roll out and layer over meat and vegetables in 
baking dish.

Cut slits in pastry.  Bake about 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden
brown.

**When we make this recipe, we increase the pastry ingredients by 
2 and 1/2 times, and place it in the bottom of the dish, and up the 
sides, as well as on top.