Roughly dice the onion

Mince garlic cloves

Slice celery into small pieces

Half or quarter the mushrooms

Generously season beef pieces with salt and pepper

Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to large pot

Brown the pieces of beef in small batches, remove and set on a side plate

Add the diced onions to same pot with drippings and sauté them for a couple of minutes until soft and translucent

Add garlic and sauté with onions for 2 minutes

Add chopped celery and mushrooms to the pot and sauté for another couple of minutes

Add tomato paste, thyme, and rosemary; season with salt

Stir well then add beef back to pot

Pour in Guinness and bring to a boil

Measure in brown sugar and add bay leaf

Bring heat to a low simmer, cover, and let stew slowly cook for about an hour

Add potatoes after one hour of slow cooking, cover, and let it slow cook for another 30 minutes

In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp flour with just enough water to dissolve it and stir well until no lumps

Bring stew to a rapid boil and slowly add the flour/water mix while stirring

Turn off heat then add in frozen peas and carrots

Preheat oven to 400°F

Cut pastry to size of the top of the dish for the stew

Fill the dish with stew and place cut pastry on top stretching gently and pinching around lip of the dish

Brush pastry lightly with egg wash(one beaten egg with one tbsp water)

Add to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry is golden and crispy

Remove and let cool for 15 minutes before serving