“Rustico”: Savoury Meat Pie

This fabulous meat pie is very popular in Puglia especially for birthday parties and it’s called “Rustico”. Sometimes even comes in little mince pies shapes for individual portions.

Ingredients:

2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry bases
350/400 gr minced beef
2 eggs
1 medium sized onion
300 gr of frozen peas
4 tbspoons grated parmesan
2 tbspoons grated pecorino romano
70 gr ham (1 slice)
1 mozzarella (diced)
Butter
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Instructions:

First proceed to cook the filling.
Rinse the frozen peas in a colander under running water to half defrost them quickly. Drain them well.
Slice the onion finely and gently simmer it with less then half a cup of water until soft. Add a generous knot of butter and cook for 1 minute.
Add the peas and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Add the minced meat and keep cooking for 20/25 more minutes stirring occasionally occasionally.
Half way through add the ham sliced in small cubes. Season with pepper and salt and leave to cool down.

In a large bowl beat the eggs, the parmesan, and the pecorino. Add the diced mozzarella.

Finally pour the meat filling in the bowl and mix well.

Switch a ventilated oven on at 210° C.
Roll out the first puff pastry base in a pie dish and pierce the bottom with a fork.
Spoon the filling over making it even.

Roll out the second pastry base on top making sure you fold the edges of the bottom base over and seal well with your fingers dipped in water if necessary.
Pearce the top base with a fork as well and spray some olive oil all over it to give the pie its inviting golden colour.

Bake for 30 min.
Leave it to cool down for at least 20 min before serving it.
Buon appetito!

This post is also available in: Italian