Italian Meat Pies

Made this for a party I attended this weekend and promised I would post the recipe so here it is!  Enjoy!

Italian Meat Pie

Makes 6 Pies

Meat Pie Dough

2 eggs	2 lbs flour
1 pks dry yeast	2 cups milk
¼ c warm water	4 Tbsp Sugar
2 tsp salt	6 Tbsp melted shortening

Disolve yeast in warm water.  Heat milk to just scalding.  Add shorting and sugar and allow to cool.  Add to yeast with salt and eggs.  Mix.  Add flour to form a smooth dough.  Knead 10 minutes.  Place in greased bowl and turn to grease top.  Cover and let rise until double in bulk.  Beat down and let rise again.  Divide into 6 pieces . Note:  I use purchased dough.

Meat Filling

5 lbs pork cut into one inch pieces or partially cooked italian sausage

1 lb of cut up cheese (mozzarella, swiss, provolone) or pastrami, procuitto, hot ham, capacolla

3 lbs of onions partially fried with salt pepper and garlic (optional).

Cheese Mixture

3 lbs ricotta cheese

3 eggs

3 Tbsp water

Salt and pepper

Mix together and set aside.

Hard boil, peel and cut in half 24 eggs.(optional)

Mix meat, onion and cheese mixture together

Roll a piece of the dough out to the size of a large pizza.  Put the filling on half of the dough.  Put about 8 egg halfs on top of filling.  Cover with other half of dough and seal the edges.  Brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg mixed with a few tablespoons of brewed tea.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Pierce with a fork to let out air as it bakes.  Bake in a preheated 425d oven for 35 minutes.