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If there’s anything more Italian than meatballs it might be bread sticks or pizza. Well, this recipe for breadstick and meatball pie combines all 3 for a hit of pizzeria flavor that no one can resist- at least, not anyone who loves pizza!
The base of this pie is pizza dough. We’re using the bagged dough from the deli section of the grocery. As per my usual, I got the beer pizza dough because I think it has the most flavor. If you’d rather make your own dough from scratch then you can find our 30-minute dough recipe right here.
You want a deep pan for this pie. I used a 9″ springform pan. We’re not going to un-mold it, but it’s just a very beefy pie and needs a lot of room. The pie is filled with meatballs, sliced mozzarella cheese, peppers, onions, and a tomato sauce.
For the best results use the fresh mozzarella cheese that comes in liquid or in plastic tubes from the deli or imported cheese section. This will give your pie the best flavor.
The top is where the breadsticks come in. Rather than make a flat top or a lattice network of strips, we’re making little breadsticks to top the pie with. Roll ’em up like you’re making breadsticks and place them on top. I used a butterknife to connect them to the crust underneath.
The bottom crust gets blind baked first before the fillings go on. Then once this is baked a second time you’ve got a delightful mash-up of Italian dishes. And the result is utterly delicious!
Breadstick and Meatball Pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small white onion, sliced
- 1/2 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 (18 oz) bag pizza dough
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 10 oz fresh mozzarella cheese slices
Preparation
- Combine beef with egg, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, onion powder, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Roll into balls 1” to 1 ½” across and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium. Add onions and peppers and cook until just beginning to turn translucent, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove veggies from pan and set aside for later.
- Preheat oven to 450˚F. Add 1 tablespoon oil and meatballs to pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes each side until browned.
- Divide dough in half. Roll out half the dough into large circle on floured work surface. Line and then grease an 8” springform pan or other deep baking dish. Add dough to pan and take it halfway up the sides. Coat dough with remaining olive oil. Dock the dough using a fork then bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Combine tomato sauce, dried herbs, garlic, and tomato paste in bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread layer of sauce onto baked dough, a layer of onions and peppers. Add some mozzarella. Add a layer of meatballs. End with a layer of mozzarella and a final layer of sauce.
- Form remaining dough into skinny breadstick shapes. Top pie with strips in lattice pattern. Use a butter knife to connect the raw dough to the pre-baked dough. Bake for 40 minutes or until top is browned slightly. Cover with foil partway through cooking if browning too much.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then cut into slices to serve.
Recipe adapted from Tasty.