Aunt Jo

Aunt Jo is cooking again! WOW! can she cook! Aunt Jo is Italian. Her Mom still lived in Italy at the time of this picture.

This looks like dough for the meat pies. Ohhhhhh are they good - rich but ooooooohhhhhhh are they goood! I have her recipe and every now and again I dig it out and make them.

Aunt Jo's meat pies

Pizza Chiena (Filled Pizza) (Meat Pie)

Crust:

6 eggs

1 cup crisco

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tps salt

1 cup milk

9 cups flour

Cream sugar and crisco. Add eggs. Then milk - add dry ingredients - knead till smooth - separate into 12 balls - roll out 6" circles. Line 6 small (6 inch) pie tins - cut off excess dough.

Filling:

15 eggs (large)

1 fresh cheese grated (formaggia fresca) (tasteless soft) [fresh motzerella]

1/2 cup grated cheese (Parmesan)

12 slices ham - 1/8 inch thick

24 slices large pepperoni (pizza type)

Beat eggs with mixer. Add cheeses. Mix by hand. Separate in 4 bowls. Use 1 bowl egg mix on bottom of pies. Layer: 1 slice ham each pie. Egg mix (2nd bowl) - pepperoni - egg mix (3rd bowl) - 1 slice ham - egg mix (4th bowl).

Roll out remaining pie crusts - top pies - cut 1/2 beyond plate - fold under bottom crust. flute edges. roll out left over pieces of dough. cut in strips - decorate pies - then brush with beaten egg.

Bake 350 deg for 1/2 hour with 3 each shelf. Switch pies after pinching tops with fork. Then bake 350 deg another 1/2 hour.

They are best eaten warm or cool rather than right out of the oven.