Mighty Meatza (Meat Pizza)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
13 mins
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Cook Time
32 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
4 generous servings
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Calories
1236 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
International
Mighty Meatza (Meat Pizza)
Description
Mighty Meatza begins by preparing a crust from ground beef combined with caramelized onions, oats, Parmesan cheese, beaten eggs, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. This mixture is spread evenly in a buttered baking dish and baked at a high temperature to set. Excess cooking liquid is drained off to avoid sogginess. The crust is then topped with browned pancetta, tomato-based pizza sauce, cheddar, mozzarella, red onion, red bell pepper rings, and fresh basil leaves before a final bake to melt the cheeses and meld the flavors.
The crust's texture is denser and meatier than traditional pizza dough, providing a savory base. The use of oats and cheese in the crust adds binding and subtle flavor depth. Caramelized onion imparts sweetness balancing the savory meat, while the layered toppings add freshness and complexity. Cooking at a high temperature develops caramelization and melds ingredients without overcooking.
This meatza serves as a substantial meal for those seeking a low-carb or hearty alternative to classic pizza. Serving directly from the pan or transferred to a board provides a rustic presentation. Due to moisture from the meat, some shrinkage and liquid release occur during cooking, which is managed by draining.
To minimize liquid, using leaner meat and careful baking times help. The dish can be transferred out of its pan after cooking for serving aesthetics.
Drain excess liquid released during baking by tilting the baking dish; repeat after initial and final bakes to maintain crust texture.Lower-fat ground beef generally results in less liquid release compared to fattier blends.Shrinkage of meatza crust during cooking is normal due to moisture loss, and is influenced by fat content.For a rustic presentation, remove the meatza from the baking dish onto a wooden board or clean plate after cooking.
Ingredients
For the meatza 'crust'
- butter or oil/cooking spray, for greasing
- 1 tablespoon oil for frying
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 kilogram ground beef or 50/50 beef and pork mince, 2.2 pounds
- 50 grams oats
- 50 grams Parmesan Cheese grated
- 2 egg large, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons garlic or chopped garlic, paste
- 1 tablespoon oregano or mixed herbs, dried
- 1 tablespoon salt
- black pepper be generous, to taste
For the topping
- 170 grams pancetta cubed, or bacon lardons
- 8 tablespoons pizza sauce or other tomato-based sauce of choice. Add as much as you like.
- 70 grams cheddar cheese or cheese of choice, grated
- ½ onion sliced into rings
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into rings
- 200 grams mozzarella cheese roughly 1½ ball, balls
- basil fresh, handful, leaves
Instructions
Making the meaty crust
- Preheat the oven to 220C/430F/gas mark 7.
- Coat a large, round, circa 28cm baking dish with a thin layer of butter, oil or cooking spray.
- Heat the oil in a pan and cook the chopped onions on low heat until they're soft and slightly caramelised. About 3-4 minutes.
- Place the beef mince in a spacious bowl and gently use a fork to separate and loosen the texture.
- To the beef, add the fried onions, oats, grated parmesan, lightly beaten eggs, garlic, oregano, salt and black pepper.
- Combine the ingredients with your hands, gently mixing them together. Avoid overworking the mixture and refrain from compacting it too much.
- Tip the mince mixture into your baking dish and use your fingers to gently spread it across the surface, ensuring even distribution as you level it.
- Place the meatza in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- While the meatza is baking, fry the pancetta cubes until they are lightly browned with crisp edges. Set aside.
- Once the 15 minutes are up, take the meatza out of the oven, close the oven door and keep the oven temperature unchanged. If there's excess liquid accumulating around the edges, carefully pour it off.
Adding the toppings
- Spoon the pizza or tomato sauce over the meat and spread it evenly, leaving a slight gap between the sauce and the edges of the meatza.
- Evenly distribute half of the grated cheese over the sauce.
- Sprinkle the fried pancetta cubes evenly over the layer of cheese.
- Next, arrange the onion and red pepper rings on top of the meatza.
- Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the onion and red pepper rings.
- Tear off pieces from the mozzarella balls and evenly distribute them across the surface of the meatza, ensuring they are evenly spaced.
- Place the meatza with the added toppings back into the oven and bake for an additional 17-20 minutes, or until all the cheese is melted and there are some spots of caramelisation on the toppings.
- If there is excess liquid accumulating on the sides of the dish, carefully pour it off once more. If the meatza has shrunk considerably, you can remove it from the dish and place it on a wooden board or large plate.
- Sprinkle some fresh basil leaves over the meatza along with any additional toppings you'd like, such as shaved parmesan or a bit more black pepper.
Notes
- Excess liquid forms during baking; pour it off by tilting the dish after both initial and final baking stages to keep the crust firm.
- Using leaner ground beef results in less liquid and less shrinkage of the meat crust.
- Meatza shrinkage is normal and correlates with fat content and moisture loss during cooking.
- For serving, transfer the cooked meatza from the baking dish to a wooden board or plate for a rustic look.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4generous servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1236 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1236kcal | 62% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 74g | 148% |
| Fat | 94g | 145% |
| Saturated Fat | 38g | 190% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 7g | 41% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 38g | 190% |
| Trans Fat | 3g | 150% |
| Cholesterol | 353mg | 118% |
| Sodium | 3027mg | 126% |
| Potassium | 1152mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 1832IU | 37% |
| Vitamin C | 45mg | 50% |
| Calcium | 634mg | 63% |
| Iron | 7mg | 39% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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