Carne Pie Recipe

Prepare meatball mixture

Place ground beef in a mixing bowl. Add breadcrumbs, milk, egg, grated Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix gently until combined but not overworked (use hands or a spoon). Form into small meatballs about 1 inch (makes ~18-22 meatballs).

Brown meatballs

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes, turning carefully. They do not need to be fully cooked through—just browned. Transfer to a plate.

Cook aromatics and sausage

In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook 3–4 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Crumble the Italian rope sausage into the skillet and cook, breaking up any large pieces, until cooked through, about 5–6 minutes.

Combine filling

Return browned meatballs to the skillet with the sausage and aromatics. Add sliced pepperoni, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir gently to coat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes to meld flavors. Stir in chopped parsley. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes (filling should be warm but not piping hot when assembling).

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease it and sprinkle with cornmeal or flour.

Prepare dough

On a lightly floured surface, roll or stretch the pizza dough into a rectangle approximately 12 x 8 inches (adjust to your dough amount). The dough should be about 1/4-inch thick. If using store-bought dough, let it rest 5 minutes if it resists stretching.

Fill and fold

Spoon the cooled meatball/sausage/pepperoni mixture down the center third of the dough lengthwise, leaving a 1/2-inch border on both long edges and 1 inch at each short end. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the filling. Fold one long side over the filling, then fold the other long side over to form an enclosed roll. Tuck the short ends under and press to seal seams. If desired, pinch or crimp the seam to secure.

Finish and egg wash

Place the sealed loaf seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush the dough surface evenly. Make 3 shallow diagonal slashes across the top with a sharp knife for steam vents. Optionally sprinkle a little extra Parmesan or Italian seasoning on top.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 22–28 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and internal temperature near the center reaches 160°F (71°C). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5–8 minutes.

Rest and slice

Remove from oven and let rest 8–10 minutes to allow juices to set. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 1–1.5 inch portions. Serve warm with extra warmed tomato or pizza sauce on the side for dipping, if desired.