Meatza Pie

 

 

Meatza Pie.  You could look at this delicious recipe as a low carb version of Pizza, or you could look at it as an alternative type of meatloaf.  Either or, one thing is for certain, you are going to fall in love with this quick, easy and delicious entrée!

I have adapted this recipe from one I found on Chicken.ca.  It was originally designed to use ground chicken meat.  I put my hand up. I am not at all fussy about ground chicken. Ground turkey I do like, but not ground chicken.

 

I thought it would adapt well to using ground beef however and I was right. It works beautifully with ground beef.

I also added some more seasonings to the meat mixture and my favorite pizza toppings.  You can of course adapt these toppings to use your own favorite pizza toppings!   (Even ham and pineapple!)

I have also added European measures for those who are living across the pond.  I know how frustrating it is no matter which side of the pond you live to have to do all of the adapting. I do the work now so you don't have to!

I made this while my daughter was staying with me and she loved it.  I also sent some over to a neighbor across the way and she enjoyed it also.  Like any pizza, you can also freeze the leftovers, properly wrapped, to reheat at another time.

This is not only delicious, but very quick and easy to make, as well as being totally adaptable to your own favorite tastes and toppings!  On this day we happily dressed it as a Pepperoni Pizza.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MEATZA PIE

As I often say, simple, ordinary, uncomplicated ingredients.

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1 cup cooked rice (see recipe notes)
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup (120g) pizza sauce
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 1/4 each small green and red pepper, trimmed and diced
• 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (120g) grated Mozzarella cheese
• thinly sliced pepperoni to cover as desired

I buy my ground beef frozen at the local farmers market. It is sold by the pound and is free range and organic.  At $6.99 a pound I consider it to be very reasonable.  It is traceable and is of a very good quality.  I have never had an issue with it.  It has always been of exceptional quality.

Ever noticed when you buy supermarket ground beef it looks all lovely and red on the outside, but when you get to the inside, it is kind of grey?  I don't like that. I also don't like that the package of ground beef you get at the supermarket has come from a whole host of animals.  

 

I know that this ground beef I buy is traceable as well as being just as red inside as it is on the outside. Call me picky if you like, but that's just the way I like my ground beef.

You can cook rice specifically for this recipe (make sure you cool it down before using), or you can use leftover cooked rice.  One exceptionally good option is to use the already cooked rice that comes in the pouches in the shops.  I can think of two brands off the top of my head. Tilda and Uncle Ben's.

Today I used Uncle Ben's Garlic Butter cooked rice and it gave an excellent result, flavor wise.   Plain or brown are also very good.

I added some seasonings because it sounded rather plain otherwise.  They all worked well.  I also chose to use two kinds of cheese, Parmesan and Mozzarella.  Pizza just would not be pizza in my books without the two.

I used a good store brand pizza sauce.  The garlic one.  It worked beautifully and we kept the toppings fairly simple today as my daughter was here, just peppers, onions, and pepperoni.

You can go as crazy as you like with the toppings however. Chopped cooked bacon, ham, pineapple, olives, mushrooms, etc.  Just pick your favorites and run with them! 

 

HOW TO MAKE MEATZA PIE

Nothing could be simpler.  I know I say that all the time, but its true. You will love the ease and simplicity of this!

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter 10 inch round pie tin. Set aside.

Mix the beef, rice, seasonings and egg together to combine, mixing everything together well. Press this into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven. Drain off any liquid or fat which has accumulated.

 

Spread the pizza sauce evenly over top of the partially cooked meat. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the Mozzarella over top of the Parmesan cheese, reserving about a TBS to sprinkle over the top.

Scatter the top with the chopped onion and peppers. Lay out the pepperoni on top of these. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese.

Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes (or longer) until the cheese has melted and started to brown and the meat is cooked through.

Leave to sit for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.

Notes

You can use leftover cooked rice for this, brown or white. You can also use 1/2 of a pouch of ready cooked rice such as Tilda or Uncle Ben's. On this particular day I used 1/2 pouch of Uncle Ben's Garlic and Butter rice and it was delicious! You can always heat the remainder of the pouch of rice to serve on the side if desired.

 

I served this simply,  with a tossed salad on the side, and found it to be quite ample.  I think this is a dish that children will love and men too!

It was a deliciously unique way of presenting a meatloaf.  Terribly adaptable to all kinds of flavors and tastes!  Quick, easy, economical.  You can't ask for more than that!

Are you looking for delicious Ground Beef Recipes?  I have plenty more where this comes from. Some of my favorites are:

STREET STYLE BEEF TACOS - Delicious, perfectly spiced chopped steak served on homemade tortillas with all of your favorite taco toppings.  Also included is a recipe for your own homemade Avocado Cream to top them with. These are quite simply one of my favorite tacos.  Not too spicy, although if you are a lover of heat you can certainly amp them up.  These are fantastically tasty! 

OVEN HASH - Economical and honest ingredients combined to make a delicious meal that your family will love. Not a hash with potatoes, but a delicious mixture of spiced minced beef, baked with tomatoes, onions and noodles. Comfort food. Family food. Simple, maybe . . . but never plain.

COWBOY CASSEROLE - A tasty combination of baked beans, ground beef and BBQ sauce, popped into a casserole dish and topped with some drop biscuits and cheese.  Its such a simple make but incredibly delicious. This is a real family pleaser as well as being something that is popular at Pot Lucks!

Meatza Pie

Yield: 4 - 6 (depending on appetites)

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min

A meatloaf by any other name, this delicious version will convert any pizza lover into a meatloaf lover!

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1 cup cooked rice (see recipe notes)
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup (120g) pizza sauce
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 1/4 each small green and red pepper, trimmed and diced
• 1/4 cup (45g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (120g) grated Mozzarella cheese
• thinly sliced pepperoni to cover as desired

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter 10 inch round pie tin. Set aside.
2. Mix the beef, rice, seasonings and egg together to combine, mixing everything together well. Press this into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish.
3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven. Drain off any liquid or fat which has accumulated.
4. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over top of the partially cooked meat. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the Mozzarella over top of the Parmesan cheese, reserving about a TBS to sprinkle over the top.
5. Scatter the top with the chopped onion and peppers. Lay out the pepperoni on top of these. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese.
6. Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes (or longer) until the cheese has melted and started to brown and the meat is cooked through.
7. Leave to sit for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.

Notes

You can use leftover cooked rice for this, brown or white. You can also use 1/2 of a pouch of ready cooked rice such as Tilda or Uncle Ben's. On this particular day I used 1/2 pouch of Uncle Ben's Garlic and Butter rice and it was delicious! You can always heat the remainder of the pouch of rice to serve on the side if desired.

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