Finnish Meat Pie

We enjoy this hearty, traditional meat pie year-round, but especially during hunting season. This is one recipe I’ll be sure to pass on to our seven children.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • FILLING:
  • 4 cups shredded peeled potatoes
  • 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded peeled rutabaga
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • EGG WASH:
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon 2% milk

Directions

  • Place shortening in a large bowl. Add boiling water; stir until shortening is melted. In a small bowl, mix flour and salt. Add to shortening mixture; stir until a soft ball forms. Cover and refrigerate until cooled, about 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350°. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 dough portion into a 17×13-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 13×9-in. baking dish. Press onto bottom and up sides of dish. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of dish.
  • In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients. Spoon into pastry. Roll out remaining dough into a 13×9-in. rectangle. Place over filling. Fold bottom pastry over top pastry; press with a fork to seal. In a small bowl, whisk egg and milk; brush over pastry. Cut slits in top. Bake 1-1/4 hours or until golden brown.

When a recipe instructs you to divided dough into portions, place the dough on a floured surface and flatten slightly. Cut the dough with a sharp knife, pizza cutter or dough cutter (sometimes called a pastry scraper). It’s important not to tear the dough, so don’t use a serrated knife.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 610 calories, 31g fat (9g saturated fat), 52mg cholesterol, 790mg sodium, 57g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 4g fiber), 23g protein.