Meat-za Pie

This simple favorite can be doubled, with the second, unbaked batch labeled and frozen until next time.  

I wouldn’t hesitate to serve this scrumptious Autumn dish for any occasion - and yes, even for Thanksgiving. 

Meat-za Pie:

1 lb. (454 g) lean ground beef 

1/2 c. (250 mL) milk 

1/2 tsp. (5 mL) garlic salt 

5 tbsp. (75 mL) fine, dry bread crumbs 

1/2 c. (125 mL) ketchup)

1-½ c. (375 mL) chopped green pepper (“capsicum”) (see Green Pepper Note)

1/2 c. (125 mL) canned, drained or fresh mushroom slices, lightly sautéed) (see Mushroom Note)

3/4 c. + 1 tbsp. (195 mL) grated cheddar

1/2-to-1 tsp. (2.5-to-5 mL) fresh or dried leaf oregano (see Oregano Note) 

Grated Parmesan cheese, as desired

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Combine uncooked ground beef, milk, garlic salt, and bread crumbs, mixing well with clean hands. Pack into spray-greased oversized pie pan (I used a glass one with high sides), pressing and thickening the edges of the meat as a “shell.” 

In the centre of the shell, layer the following in the order given: Ketchup, green pepper, mushrooms, and grated cheddar. Sprinkle oregano over pie. Shake or spoon on Parmesan, as desired. The commercially grated powdered kind works best in this recipe. Bake, uncovered, 45-to-55 min., until meat is cooked through.  Drain off fat, serve hot. Yields 4 generous portions.

Green Pepper Note: I had no green peppers, so added chopped yellow and orange ones, instead.  

Mushroom Note: I find canned mushrooms tasteless, so I’ve stopped buying them. Instead, I buy quite a large box of mushrooms at Costco, slicing them a day later. These, I heap into a large, hot skillet with 1/2 c. (125 mL) melted margarine spitting (the margarine; not me) and swirling ’round the pan. By continuously turning and flipping them, they soften and shrink down in no time flat. Once they’ve cooled, I pack them (swimming in their margarine-y sauce) into small plastic containers I label and freeze. This is one of the best things I do in the kitchen! No comment on that, please ... 

Oregano Note: It’s extremely easy to grow oregano in a little pot. Go to garden center. Buy small oregano plant. Grow, baby, grow! Voilà! We dry the leaves and use them in cooking - far, far superior to powdered oregano! I used about a teaspoon of the dried, crumbled  leaves in this recipe.  

These step-by-step photos show just how easy it is to make this excellent meat pie!

Mix meat ingredients until well combined.

Press prepared ground beef into pie dish.

Prepare peppers.

Pour ketchup onto base of pie.

Spread it evenly over bottom of pie.

Add seeded, and chopped peppers ...

Sliced mushrooms ...

Cheddar ...

Oregano and Parmesan. Bake.