Step 1

Heat half the oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add a quarter of the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until brown. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and beef, in 3 batches, reheating oil between batches.

Step 2

Reheat saucepan and cook the curry paste, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add beef and coconut cream. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Add pumpkin and cook for 15 minutes or until beef and pumpkin are tender. Stir in beans, cashews, spinach, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar, and cook for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in coriander and remove from heat.

Step 3

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C. Use a 12.5cm-diameter round pastry cutter to cut 6 discs from the shortcrust pastry sheets. Line six 3cm-deep, round 9cm (base measurement) pie tins with pastry and trim excess. Place on a baking tray in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.

Step 4

Cover pastry bases with baking paper and fill with rice or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove paper and rice or beans. Bake for a further 8 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven.

Step 5

Divide beef mixture among pie cases. Use a 10.5cm-diameter round pastry cutter to cut 6 discs from the puff pastry. Top each pie with a puff pastry disc and press edges to seal. Brush tops with egg and use a knife to cut a 1cm slit in the top. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until pies puff and are hot. Serve immediately.