Beef Rice Pie Greek American Recipes

BEEF RICE PIE (GREEK-AMERICAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, except for the pie crust, of course! (An oil pastry does work best--or phyllo can be used instead.).
• Put the bottom crust in a 10" pie pan, fill with the beef and rice mixture, and top with the top crust, crimping the edge.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until the top crust is golden.
• Let cool for a few minutes and then serve!

BEEF PIE WITH RICE A RONI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• In a skillet, lightly brown the Rice A Roni in the butter (keep flavor pack aside).
• Add and brown the ground beef, crumble finely.
• Stir in hot water.
• Add contents of the beef flavored packet that came with Rice A Roni.
• Add salt & pepper and mix.
• Cover and simmer for 15min on low.
• Cool slightly.
• Stir in 2 well beaten eggs.
• Fill pie shell with mixture.
• Top with bacon slices.
• Bake for 20 minutes.
• note: the bacon cooking on top of the pie is used to add flavor, but does not get crisp. You can brown the bacon slightly before adding it if you like.

COUNTRY PIE

Steps:

• Crust: Combine ground beef, 1/2 a can of tomato sauce, bread crumbs, onion, green pepper & spices.
• Pat mixture down & up sides of a 9 inch pie plate (I use a deep dish).
• Set aside.
• Filling: Combine rice, all the remaining tomato sauce (1 1/2 cans), 1 cup water & 1/2 cup of cheese.
• Pour on top of crust.
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
• Sprinkle with rest of cheese & bake 10 -15 more minutes or.
• until cheese is melted.

KREATOPITA (GREEK MEAT PIE USING PHYLLO PASTRY)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, coat bottom of pan with olive oil and add ground beef (and mushrooms, if using). Cook, breaking up meat with back of spoon, and stirring often until meat and mushrooms are browned and liquid emitted has evaporated (make sure all the liquid has evaporated - you don't want a soggy pita!).
• Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, oregano and cinnamon and cook until liquid emitted from onions has evaporated, too.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times to bring hot filling up (to cool faster).
• Add cheese, parsley and eggs to meat filling and combine thoroughly to blend. Taste filling and adjust seasoning to suit your taste.
• In a 15 x 10 inch pan (or large pan), layer half the phyllo sheets, brushing each one generously with olive oil (use a pastry brush), before adding the next sheet of pastry.
• Pour the meat filling into the phyllo-lined pan.
• Layer the remaining phyllo sheets in the same way, over the filling, brushing each one generously with olive oil before adding the next sheet of pastry. When you reach the last sheet (the top one), brush this one slightly more generously than the rest, tuck in any overhang you have neatly into the pie and score pie, lengthwise, into 4, using the tip of a small, sharp knife and making sure you don't cut all the way through the bottom of the pastry (just the top crust and slightly into the filling).
• Position baking rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 190°C (375°F).
• Bring your pan next to the sink and run the cold water tap. Wet the tips of your fingers and shake the water onto the pastry. Do this a few times to ensure droplets of water fall all over the pastry (this ensures a crisp crust upon baking).
• Bake pie for approximately one hour, until you achieve a deep golden crust. If you have a flat-bottomed oven (no element), do put your pan on the floor of the oven for the last 20 minutes or so to ensure an even crisper bottom crust.
• The pita is best slightly warm or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!

GREEK FAMILY STYLE SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Cook ground beef in a large nonstick skillet, stirring until beef is no longer pink; drain & discard grease.
• Cook zucchini, onion, and garlic in skillet, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
• Add ground beef; stir in pasta sauce and 3 teaspoons Greek seasoning. Cook over low heat until thoroughly heated.
• Pour beef mixture into a lightly greased 3-quart round baking dish.
• Stir together mashed potatoes, remaining 1/2 teaspoon Greek seasoning, crumbled feta cheese, lemon rind, and lemon juice. Spoon potato mixture evenly over beef mixture.
• Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
• serves 8.

RICE SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• In a nonstick pan, melt 1 tbsp of the butter and cook the garlic and onion for 2 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms and celery and cook until tender.
• Mix with the hamburger.
• Add the salt and pepper.
• Mix the mushroom soup, milk and soya sauce.
• Mix the rice with the green onions, carrots and 1/4 to 1/3 of the mushroom soup mixture.
• In a buttered casserole dish, spread half the rice mixture, then the meat mixture, followed by the remaining mushroom soup mixture.
• Top with the remaining rice mixture.
• Dot with 2 tbsp of butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.
• Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
• Cover with sour cream and sprinkle with paprika.
• Return to oven for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot.

GREEK MEAT PIE (KREATOPITA)

Steps:

• Filling: Place sliced onion in a colander. Pour salted boiled water over them, rinse and drain well.
• Add onions to a coated pan and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add beef, cinnamon, salt and pepper and stir well.
• Add 1/2 cup of water and boil until just the mixture is left.
• Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and cool.
• Prepare béchamel Sauce by melting butter in small pan whisk in flour and add hot milk. Whisk.
• Add 3 eggs, cheese, bread and béchamel sauce to the filling and set aside.
• Pastry: Combine the pastry ingredients, except for the egg yolk/milk, in a mixing bowl.
• Knead it into a pliable, non-sticky dough.
• Separate the dough into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other.
• Take the larger ball and roll out enough to more than cover your oven dish. Place it in a buttered pie pan, covering the bottom, and sides, going slightly over the edge at the top.
• Now place the filling on top of the crust and level it.
• Roll out the second dough ball and cover the filling.
• Butter the edge of the bottom crust and fold it over inwards to cover the edge of the top crust and make a border by pressing the edges with your fingertips.
• Mix the milk and egg yolk and brush the surface with the mixture.
• Poke a hole in the middle to allow the steam to escape and stick the rest of the pastry with a fork.
• Place in a preheated oven at 325F degrees for about 45 minutes, until it is golden brown.