Step 1

In a bowl, add the porcini mushrooms and the water and let the mushrooms soak for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Step 2

Strain the porcini mushrooms and reserve the soaking liquid.

Step 3

Roughly chop the soaked porcini mushrooms.

Step 4

Sprinkle the beef with the salt and the pepper.

Step 5

In a large, heavy-based pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil.

Step 6

Add 1/2 of the seasoned beef to the pot and cook until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the cooked beef from the pot, then repeat with the remaining beef.

Step 7

Lower the heat to medium-low, adding the remaining oil if the pot is looking dry.

Step 8

Add the onion and the garlic to the pot and cook until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Step 9

Add the celery and the 1 finely chopped carrot to the pot and cook until they have softened and are sweet to taste, about 6 minutes.

Step 10

Add the remaining carrot chunks to the veggie mixture and cook for 2 minutes.

Step 11

Add the flour to the veggie mixture and stir thoroughly.

Step 12

Add the ale and the beef stock to the soup mixture and stir until the flour has dissolved.

Step 13

Add the thyme, the bay leaves, the soaked porcini mushrooms, the reserved porcini mushroom soaking liquid (ensuring the gritty bits settled at the bottom aren't added), and the cooked beef to the soup mixture.

Step 14

Turn up the heat slightly, mix the soup, and bring it to a simmer, then cover.

Step 15

Adjust the heat so the soup is gently simmering and then cook until the beef is tender and has reached an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F, about 1 hour 45 minutes.

Step 16

While the soup is cooking, in a skillet over high heat, cook the bacon until golden. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet.

Step 17

Add the Swiss mushrooms to the bacon drippings and cook until they are golden all over, about 5 minutes.

Step 18

Add the cooked bacon to the Swiss mushrooms and toss to coat the mushrooms.

Step 19

Stir the bacon mixture into the stew mixture.

Step 20

Simmer the stew, uncovered, until the Swiss mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes.

Step 21

Transfer the stew from the heat and let it cool.

Step 22

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees F.

Step 23

Pour the cooled stew into a 10x8x1.8-inch pie dish.

Step 24

Top the stew mixture with the puff pastries and brush with the egg yolk.

Step 25

Cut a few slits in the surface of the puff pastries.

Step 26

Bake until the puff pastries are a deep golden color and the filling is piping hot in the middle, about 30-35 minutes.

Step 27

Allow the bake to rest for 5 minutes.

Step 28

Serve.