Impossible Hamburg Pie

This old-school hamburger pie is the kind of filling, no-fuss dinner that feeds a family from a single pie plate. Seasoned ground beef with tomato sauce, onion, and oregano goes into a simple biscuit dough crust, then a beaten egg and milk mixture with cheddar cheese, green pepper, and dry mustard gets poured over the top and baked until golden.

The crust comes together fast from biscuit baking mix and cold water. Knead it just five times on a floured board. More than that and it turns tough. Roll it out, fit it into the pie plate, and flute the edges.

Drain the browned beef well before stirring in the tomato sauce and seasonings. Greasy filling makes the crust soggy and prevents the egg topping from setting cleanly. The bread crumbs in the beef mixture absorb excess moisture and help the filling hold together when sliced.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain the beef thoroughly: Excess grease is the number one reason meat pies have soggy crusts.
• Knead only five times: This is a biscuit dough, not bread. Overworking it makes the crust tough instead of flaky.
• Pour the egg mixture slowly: It needs to settle around the beef filling without overflowing the crust.
• Let it rest for five minutes after baking. The custard top firms up and slices much more neatly.

Variations

• Taco pie: Use taco seasoning instead of oregano and top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and sour cream after baking.
• Pizza-style: Swap the cheddar for mozzarella and add sliced pepperoni on top before baking.