Italian-Canadian Meat Pie

This pie appears every Christmas at my family's gatherings and has for several generations. It is very dense, rich, and oh, so good! Cut the finished pie into one-inch pieces to serve as an appetizer, rather than as an entree. Substitute sharp Cheddar for the Asiago if you prefer, and try an 8-inch square pan instead of a pie plate. Good cold or warm.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 350 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 eggs
• 1 ½ pounds ground pork
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 1 ½ cups grated Asiago cheese
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste (Optional)
• 1 pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 2

Place a skillet over medium heat; cook the ground pork in the skillet with the fennel seed, red pepper flakes, and salt until completely browned, breaking the pork into small pieces as it cooks. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Step 3

Combine the ground pork, eggs, Asiago cheese, and bread crumbs in a large bowl; use your hands to mix thoroughly.

Step 4

Line a 9-inch pie plate with one of the prepared pastries. Fill the pie with the pork mixture. Place the remaining pastry over the pie and press the edges together to seal. Be sure to cut steam vents into the top pastry.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue cooking until the pastry is browned and the filling is bubbling a bit, another 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the pie to cool 5 to 10 minutes before cutting to serve.