VENETIAN VEAL PIE

MEAT FILLING

• 1 pound veal steak, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups (1 pound) fresh tomatoes, or canned that are drained
• 1 cup (8-ounces) tomato sauce, preferrably unsalted
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, cut into slices

Pastry: Sift flour with garlic powder. Stir in oregano and cheese. Add butter and cut into flour mixture with pastry cutter or forks until it makes fine pieces. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons into mixture and stir until dough holds together. Add the extra 1 tablespoon of water if needed. Roll out 2/3 of the dough on a floured surface to an 11-inch circle. Place in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out the remaining dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds. Set aside.

Meat Filling: Coat the veal cubes with the flour. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and brown the veal. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the cheddar cheese slices. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Assembly: Preheat the oven to 400° F. Turn the meat filling into the pie shell. Top with the cheese slices. Place the dough rounds on top of the cheese, overlapping the pie shell. Flute edges. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Serve immediately.