Runza Meat Pie Food

RUNZA

Steps:

• Thaw two loaves of frozen bread dough or make the equivalent amount using your favorite bread recipe.
• While dough thaws, make the filling.
• Brown the hamburger and drain, then return to pan.
• Add cabbage and onion and cook down.
• Salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp pepper recommended).
• Let dough rise, then punch down and roll a portion to 1/4" thickness.
• Cut into 4" x 8" pieces and add about 1/2 cup meat mixture to each.
• Fold dough pieces over and seal the edges, then place seam-side-down on a greased cookie sheet.
• Let rise 20-30 minutes, then bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until brown.
• Call Nebraska natives not in attendance and gloat (taunting not advised).

MIDWESTERN MEAT PIES

Steps:

• Place 1-3/4 cups flour and the sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Heat the milk, water and shortening to 120°-130°. Pour over flour mixture; add the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low until blended. Beat an additional 3 minutes on high. Stir in the remaining flour; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes., Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain. Add the cabbage, salt and pepper; cook until cabbage is wilted., Punch dough down; roll into twelve 6-in. squares. Top each square with 1/3 cup meat mixture. Fold into triangles. Pinch edges tightly to seal, and place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

NEBRASKAN RUNZAS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Combine 3/4 cup warm water (approximately 110 degrees F),the yeast and a pinch of sugar in a large mixing bowl and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Add 3 eggs and whisk to combine. Add half of the bread flour and beat with a wooden spoon until good and thready, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, the remaining flour and the salt and mix well. The dough will be a little sticky. Let rest 15 minutes.
• Knead the dough to develop the gluten until it feels tight and smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered bowl, cover and let it rise for 1 hour at room temperature. Then chill in the refrigerator,1 to 2 hours or overnight.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into 8 even portions. Roll each one into a ball and leave on the counter, covered loosely, to warm up, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the beef, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl.
• Drain and discard all but a film of the fat from the skillet. Add the butter; when it has melted, add the onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook 3 minutes. Add the mixture to the bowl containing the beef.
• Without cleaning the skillet, add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Saute the spinach over high heat until wilted and the excess liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Chop the spinach, then add it to the beef mixture and set aside to cool.
• Roll out the dough: Flatten a dough ball on a heavily floured surface and roll out into a 3-by-5-inch rectangle. Then make wrapping flaps from the four corners of the rectangle by rolling out each corner thinly so you have a thick rectangle with four thinner triangular wings at the corners.
• Fill the runzas: Spoon 1/2 cup of the beef filling into the center of the dough rectangle and wrap the flaps over it, pinching to close. Flip the bundle over in your hands, gently forming the runza into a fat football shape. Set the runza seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough balls, arranging them on 2 oiled baking sheets. Let the runzas rise about an inch, uncovered, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Whisk the remaining egg and 2 tablespoons water to make an egg wash and brush it thinly over the tops of the runzas. Bake until golden brown, 25 minutes. Serve hot.

RUNZAS

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir ground beef and onion until beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in cabbage and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook and stir until cabbage is tender, about 20 more minutes. Set mixture aside to cool.
• Mix warm water and butter in a large bowl. Combine dry milk powder, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and yeast in another bowl; stir into butter mixture. Add egg and gradually stir in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough is smooth.
• Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface; cut into 4-inch squares. Scoop beef mixture into each dough square. Bring corners of a dough square together at the top and pinch corners together to seal. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with remaining beef mixture and dough. Cover rolls with a damp cloth and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

RUNZA (MEAT PIE)

Steps:

• 1. Put yeast and milk in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, eggs and softened butter. Mix. Gradually add flour while mixing. Add flour until dough pulls together into a ball. Knead for 4 or 5 minutes or until dough is smooth. (This really works best with a free-standing mixer with a dough hook) Put in a greased bowl, cover with a towel and allow to rise until double. Punch down and let it rise again.
• 2. Brown ground beef. Add shredded cabbage and chopped onion and cook over medium heat until cabbage and onion is softened. Add salt and pepper to taste. It takes a lot! Start this about halfway through the second rise of the dough. Set aside until dough is ready.
• 3. IF YOU"RE MAKING INDIVIDUAL RUNZA ROLLS READ HERE Remove dough from bowl and divide into thirds. On a floured surface, roll one portion of the dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut into 5"or 6" squares. (Reserve dough you cut off to reroll.) Give each square an extra roll with the rolling pin before filling. Put a large mound of filling on the center of each dough square, Dot each meat pile with a dab of butter. Pull opposite corners of the dough together and pinch to hold. Pull the opposite two corners together and use your fingers to pinch all edges together to seal in filling. Turn Runza over and put on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (helps to keep any leakage from staining your cookie sheet) Space Runzas about 1 inch apart. When cookie sheet is full put a towel over it and let it rise for about 15 minutes. Bake Runzas in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes - until they are a deep brown. Remove from oven and rub butter on the top of each Runza. This recipe makes about 28 of these rolls.
• 4. IF YOU'RE MAKING THE CASSEROLE READ HERE: Preheat oven at 350. Grease a large 9x13" glass pan. Seperate your dough into 2 large balls....roll each "ball" out fairly thin. Place the first piece of dough in the bottom of your greased pan, allowing it to "creep" up the sides a bit. Spread your filling out on the dough in the pan, leaving about 1/2 an inch from the sides. Place 6-8 dabs of butter on top of the meat mixture. When finished, place the second piece of dough on top, and pinch the sides (as best as possible) of the bottom and top doughs together to "seal" your casserole. Cover with a towel and let sit for about 15 minutes to rise. Bake casserole for 20-30 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through and a nice golden brown. Remove from oven and rub butter on top of the casserole. Serve hot!!! This should be served with extra butter sitting nearby.

RUNZAS

Steps:

• First, make the filling: Chop onions and garlic and sauté in a large frying pan with a little butter or olive oil until tender.
• Add ground beef along with generous amounts of salt and pepper and cook through, then drain well, if needed. (This will depend on how fatty the beef is.)
• Put browned ground beef into a large pot (I like to use my Crock pot). Stir in cabbage and kraut and simmer 3-4 hours, stirring often, and seasoning and tasting. (If using a Crock pot, cook on "low" for 5 to 6 hours.)
• Now to make dough: Stir the yeast into the warm water.
• In a large bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and eggs. Beat in eggs, then stir in yeast mixture.
• Add flours quickly one cup at a time, stirring well after each cup. (I use my Bosch mixer for this step.)
• When the dough begins to pull away from the side of the mixing bowl, turn out onto a lightly-floured countertop and incorporate remaining flour by kneading. Knead 100 strokes until the dough is elastic and smooth. (Kneading can be omitted but this will make the dough nicer to handle, and with an improved texture.)
• Let rest in a covered bowl one hour or until doubled in size.
• Cut off golf ball sized pieces. Lightly flour countertop and roll out each piece.
• Fill each circle of dough with approximately 1/2 cup of filling, and optional cheese if desired. Pull edges of dough around the filling and pinch tightly. Place on a sheet of parchment on a sheet pan, or a 9x13" pan. Or any pan that you like, actually.
• Preheat oven to 375 while allowing runzas to rest for 30 minutes. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until approaching golden.
• Swash with melted butter and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden. Serve while hot. Urge caution! The filling will be very hot.

RUNZA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2. Spread one tube of crescent rolls into the bottom of a 9x13x2 pan and bake 7 minutes or until brown.
• 3. While that is in the oven, brown the hamburger and onion in a skillet. ***Now is the time to add your choice of a thickener if you would prefer more of a gravy texture***
• 4. Drain the grease from the hamburger and add the cabbage. Let it steam for a few minutes.
• 5. Add the salt and pepper.
• 6. Spread the hamburger/cabbage mix into the pan on top of the baked crescent dough.
• 7. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the meat mixture.
• 8. Spread the 2nd tube of crescent rolls over the top of the cheese.
• 9. Bake for 35-40 minutes, covering with foil the last 10 minutes to soften the crust.

RUNZA CASSEROLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Roll out one tube of crescent rolls and place on the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef to a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain and use a spatula to move the meat to outer edges of the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the center of the skillet and allow it to melt. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• Add half of a head of cabbage (shredded) and cook for 5 minutes, or until it has cooked down and wilted. Season again with salt and pepper. Pour meat-cabbage mixture over top of bottom crescent layer. Top with an even layer of shredded cheddar cheese. Top with the remaining crescent roll dough. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crescent rolls are golden brown.

NEBRASKA'S HOMEMADE RUNZA

Steps:

• Start by placing 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Either in a small saucepan over medium heat or a microwave safe bowl, heat the milk, water, and butter to 120-130 degrees F.
• Pour heated wet ingredients into flour mixture. Stir slightly before adding beaten eggs.
• Continue by adding the remaining flour, one cup at a time, until when kneaded the dough comes together and is smooth and elastic.
• Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
• While dough is rising, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain.
• Stir in the chopped cabbage, seasoned salt, and pepper. Stir gently until cabbage is cooked and filling combined.
• Punch dough down, and divide into 12 equal portions.
• Working with one piece of dough, roll into a rectangle (approx 6 inches x 8 inches in size).
• Place a heaping 1/2 cup of filling into the center of each dough piece.
• Fold dough over filling. Seal and tuck edges.
• Place onto a greased baking sheet (edges can touch).
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

HOMEMADE RUNZAS

Steps:

• Place frozen dinner roll dough on a sheet pan and rise according to package instructions. It will use 2 rolls for each sandwich.
• While dough rises, begin browning your ground beef and onion in a large skillet. When the meat is about halfway done, add in the shredded cabbage and cover with a lid. Cook until meat and cabbage are done. Drain off any excess grease or liquid. Set aside.
• When rolls have risen completely, lightly flour your surface. Remove two rolls and form a ball. Roll the ball out into a rectangle approximately 5"x7".
• Place approximately 1/3 cup of the filling in the center of the dough and spread out from top to bottom.
• Fold the bottom up and the top of the dough down and press to seal. Fold the left side over, pinching to seal. Then do the right side, gently stretching to cover the left. Pinch closed.
• Place each sandwich on a greased cookie sheet, seam side down.
• Let rise again for another 30-45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush the tops with melted butter.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until bread dough is golden brown.
• Serve hot.

EASY HOMEMADE RUNZA RECIPE

Steps:

• This is by far easier when you use a large stand mixer with a dough hook. Put warm water, yeast, sugar, salt and butter in bowl and add a cup of flour. Using whip beater attachment, mix thoroughly, scraping down sides of bowl. HInt: grab a clean dish towel and wrap it around the bowl, see photo. That is unless you really enjoy cleaning up flour. (I don't.) Add 2 cups of flour, one at a time, and beat well. You'll still want to keep your mixer modestly draped for the next step. Switch to dough hook and keep adding flour gradually until the dough hook starts pulling the dough away from the sides of the bowl. Stop the mixer and feel the dough. If it's still sticky, add a tablespoon or so of flour at a time and resume kneading with the dough hook. Stop adding flour when it's soft but handles without sticking to your fingers.Great bread dough should feel satiny and elastic.At this point I simply remove the dough hook and gather the dough into a ball. I spray the bowl generously with Pam or similar, return the dough to the bowl (not necessary to wash it first) smooth a little cooking oil or olive oil over the dough, cover with dish towel and set in a nice warm place. (In the summer, I've found my car makes a great proofing box!!)When the dough has doubled in size, divide into 16 pieces and roll out into a thin oval about 6" by 8". Heavens, this is no time for exactitude. Think rustic and handmade. I like my runzas a little on the small side with thin, crisp dough wrappers. You may like yours chubby.(Sometimes I make 8 runzas with half the dough and cinnamon rolls with the other half.)

MEAT PIE WITH PHYLLO DOUGH

Steps:

• In a pan, heat the garlic with half of the olive oil.
• Add in the ground meat and small onion.
• When the meat is almost cooked through add in the tomato paste.
• Add in the salt, pepper, cinnamon and all spice to your taste.
• When cooked completely through, remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.
• Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.
• In a large lasagna size glass pan, spray the bottom of the pan with Pam.
• Add one sheet of the Phyllo dough.
• Spray that sheet and add another layer the same way until you have 5 sheets sprayed down with the Pam and layered on top of each other.
• You can let it go over the sides if the pan is too small for the sheet.
• Once you have the 5 sheets, add the meat to the sheets and spread evenly.
• Add the feta cheese evenly on top of the meat mixture.
• Make sure it is crumbled small.
• You do not want large chunks in one spot.
• Once you are through with that, start to add the remaining sheets the same way you did to begin with, remembering to spray each sheet as you layer.
• On the top layer, I sprayed with the Pam and also put the remaining olive oil on it spread evenly.
• You do not have to do this, I just like the extra taste.
• I also folded over the overlay to make it seal somewhat.
• Cook for about 15-17 minutes or until it is lightly golden on the top.