HAMBURGER PIE
4 servings
This pie originally appeared in Irma’s 1939 cookbook Streamlined Cooking, her paean to the convenience of canned foods. Dress this up or down as you see fit, but do not deny the genius of shingling a pie with buttered toast squares!
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Combine in a large skillet over medium heat:
- 1 pound ground beef chuck
- 1 medium onion, chopped
Cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until it is browned and the onion softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in and cook, stirring, 1 minute:
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
Stir in, bring to a simmer, and cook 3 minutes:
- One 14 ½-ounce can diced tomatoes
- One 15 ¼-ounce can corn kernels, drained, or one 10-ounce package frozen corn
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- (1 teaspoon brown sugar)
Season to taste with:
- Salt and black pepper
Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch glass pie pan or an 8 × 8-inch baking dish. Trim the crusts from:
- 7 slices white sandwich bread
Spread one side of the slices with:
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
Cut each bread slice into 4 equal squares. Arrange the bread buttered side up over the meat mixture, overlapping the pieces by about ½ inch and covering the mixture completely. Gently press the bread down to anchor it to the filling. Bake until the crust is browned, 12 to 15 minutes.