Hamburger Broccoli Pie

I'm obsessed! Apparently, I cannot stop baking inside of this artisan receptacle I picked up from Donovan at Local Roots because, I mean, who wouldn't be obsessed with thinking up more ways to fill a pie plate that not only is super practical but so extremely beautiful I leave it on my counter so that I can gaze at it all day long?! As if I have nothing else to do than gaze at a pie plate — who says that!? 

The first time I filled Donovan's pottery was with Breakfast Pie which was a heavenly creation of eggs, hash browns, and beef. Then, Spaghetti Pie filled the pie plate with a nest of crunchy noodles topped with (more) ground beef and tomato sauce which I had sneaked zucchini, carrots, and mushrooms into. Pie and ground beef. Three beef pies eaten equal at least three pounds of the 4,509 pound steer we had butchered going on two years ago. Again…who says that out loud?! Get me a muzzle. And a fork. Time to eat.

You are looking at the Flakiest Pie Crust E.V.E.R. Shhhhhh…. Lard is the secret ingredient. Don't be scared. You want flakey? You gotta get down with lard. Just like Grandma did.

Printable Recipe Here

Hamburger Broccoli Pie

Cooking Notes: Ingredients need to be infinitely interchangeable in my kitchen…here are the ways I've experimented while cooking this recipe — 1. Both fresh or frozen broccoli work perfectly fine. 2. No cream cheese? I've used both sour cream and Greek yogurt on separate occasions. Yogurt gives the filling a slight tang, but is mostly undetectable. 3. Not enough milk? Half & half works great. 4. Really any melting cheese will do. 

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cream cheese
1 1/2 cup broccoli
1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg + another egg and water for egg wash
1 cup Swiss cheese
2 unbaked pie crusts (recipe below)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Brown the beef in a large skillet over moderate heat until cooked through. Stir in onion and continue to cook until softened, seasoning with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over meat and stir in. Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese. 

Meanwhile, steam broccoli until crisp tender. Let cool. Dice into bite-sized pieces. Stir into meat mixture. 

Whisk milk and egg together. Stir into meat mixture. Add cheese. Pour into prepared pie crust. Top with top-crust, crimp edges, brush with egg wash and prick top-crust with a fork to allow steam to escape. Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes until golden brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Flakiest Pie Crust

recipe adapted from Cuisinart

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup very cold unsalted butter, diced

1/2 cup lard

1 teaspoon fine salt

Scant 1/2 cup ice cold water

Food Processor Method: Place flour in the bottom of your food processor fitted with the blade. Drop butter cubes over flour and pulse 8-9 times. Drop in lard and salt and pulse for another 8-9 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Scatter a third of the water over the flour and pulse 3-4 times. Scatter another third of the water over the mixture, pulse. Add remainder (but you may not need all the water — dough should easily come together between the fingers when ready), pulse to form the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or freeze for 15 minutes (if you're always in a hurry, like me). 

By Hand Method: Place flour in a large bowl, drop butter cubes over the flour, cut with a pastry cutter, two knives, or a fork. Add lard and salt, continue to mash until the pieces of butter are about the size of peas. Scatter a third of the water over the flour and toss with your pastry cutter. Scatter another third of the water over the mixture, toss. Add remainder (but you may not need all the water — dough should easily come together between the fingers when ready), combine to form the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or freeze for 15 minutes.

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