Beef and Broccoli Pie (with a Cheddar Cheese Crust)

It’s finally cold here, and that means I want to eat comfort food.  I love this pie and ate it quite a bit when I was little.  I’ve made it several different ways since I got the recipe from my mom.  At times I’ve added extra broccoli, substituted textured vegetable protein (TVP) for most of the beef, used low-fat cheese, sprinkled in wheat germ, and tried whole-wheat crusts.  I can tell you that if you are known for hiding TVP and wheat germ in food and using low-fat cheese, that people will pick up on you if you try all of your tricks at one time in this pie.  They may say things like, “did you use low-fat cheese in this? You know it doesn’t melt.”  Or maybe they will say, “you know, you kind of have to put beef in beef and broccoli pie.”  In the end, I’ve settled on the version that I’m sharing with you.  Although it is a humble dish, it is comfort food at its finest and is perfect for those days when the weather is cold and pie is the only thing you want to eat for dinner. 

P.S.  I know I said I would post a chocolate ginger cake recipe.  You know those times when you start experimenting in the kitchen and have a recipe that is close, but not perfect?  That is where my chocolate ginger cake recipe is right now.  As soon as it is perfect, I'll share it with you!

Notes:
If you have a smash and chop, break it out to mince the mushrooms and garlic for this recipe.  Wringing out the mushrooms will help keep the pie from becoming watery.  Scott introduced me to this mushroom trick.  It may seem like a lot of work, but it is totally worth it.  Don’t try and do all of the mushrooms at once, and use your least favorite dishtowel because it might end up stained.  If you decide to use the cheddar cheese in the crust, don’t be surprised if the cheese in the crust starts to release oil during baking (it’s scary, I know...) and ends up looking like it has freckles.  Just dab at the pie with a paper towel at the end of baking to remove any excess oil and accept that the freckles mean cheesy goodness.  In a rush?  You can also use 2 pre-made crusts from the grocery store. 

1. Place a small handful of minced mushrooms in a dishtowel  2. Wring to extract the juices  3. Perfectly wrung mushrooms

Recipe adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Meat Stretcher Cook Book

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh mushrooms, washed and finely minced
1 tablespoon butter
2-3 tablespoons olive oil (divided use)
1 large onion, chopped
½ pound lean ground beef
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 T all-purpose flour
¾ t salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1¼ C low-fat milk
3 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
12 ounces frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
¼ - ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 pie crusts (see recipe below for a cheddar cheese crust)

Yields 1 pie (8 generous servings)

Roll Out the Crusts:
On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the top and bottom crusts so that they are 1/8 inch thick.  Alternatively, the crusts can be rolled out between two pieces of parchment paper or between a piece of parchment and a piece of plastic wrap.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with one crust and put the second crust on a cookie sheet.  Cover both crusts with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator while making the filling.   

Make the Filling:
Place a small handful of the minced mushrooms in a clean dishtowel.  Wring the dishtowel to extract the juices from the mushrooms.  Once no more juice is coming out, remove the mushrooms, and set them aside.  Repeat until all of the minced mushrooms have been “wrung.”  Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the pieces begin to separate.  Once the mushrooms are cooked, place them in a bowl and set aside.  In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add the onions, and cook until the onions just begin to turn translucent.  Add the ground beef to the onions and cook it thoroughly (if your meat is very lean, you may need the additional tablespoon of olive oil).  Once the meat is cooked, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.  Drain off any excess fat.  Add the cooked mushrooms, flour, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute.  Then add the milk, cream cheese, and Worcestershire sauce and cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.  Add a moderate amount of the meat mixture to the beaten egg; return to the mixture in the skillet.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in the cooked broccoli. 

Assemble and Bake the Pie:
Remove the lined pie pan and second rolled crust from the refrigerator.  Spoon the mixture into the crust-lined pie pan, sprinkle with the cheese, and cover with the second crust, crimping the edges together.  Cut several slits in the top crust.  Place the pie on a pan with edges (to catch any drips) and bake at 350ºF for 40-45 minutes.  If the pastry browns too quickly, cover the crust with foil.  Let the pie stand 10 minutes before serving.   



Cheddar Cheese Crust

Notes:
This crust will release oil while baking due to the cheese.  If that isn’t your cup of tea, just leave the cheese out and it will be a normal pie crust.  Freezing the butter and flour before you mix everything together will help to keep the butter from melting as you mix the crust. 

Crust recipe adapted from Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America

Ingredients for Double-Crust Pie:
2⅔ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ cup ice water, or as needed

Prepare Ingredients:
Cut the butter into cubes and place in a bowl.  Mix the flour and salt together and place in a separate bowl.  Place both bowls in the freezer for 30 minutes. 

Mix (Food Processor):
Place the chilled flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor with the cup of shredded cheese.  Pulse multiple times until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse meal.  Add the butter and pulse until the pieces are pea-sized.  Add the vinegar and 1-2 tablespoons of water and pulse.  Add the remaining water 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough just begins to hold together when you press a handful of it into a ball (you may need more or less ice water).  The dough should not be wet. 

Mix (Hand Method):
Place the chilled flour and salt in a chilled bowl with the cup of shredded cheese.  Rub the mixture between your fingers until it is crumbly and resembles coarse meal.  Cut the frozen butter into the flour/cheese mixture with 2 knives or a pastry cutter until the butter pieces are pea-sized.  Drizzle the vinegar and 1-2 tablespoons of water over the flour/butter and rub it in with your fingertips.  Add water 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough just begins to hold together when you press a handful of it into a ball (you may need more or less ice water).  The dough should not be wet. 

Shape and Chill:
Turn the dough out into a large bowl or onto a lightly floured surface.  Gather the dough into two roughly equal-sized balls.  Press the balls into discs, wrap with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes (or overnight).  Pin It