Savory meat and cheese pie with kefir: a family meal ready in half an hour.

This savory pie with minced meat and cheese is a juicy and quick dish made from a liquid batter (using kefir or sour cream) and sautéed meat. The preparation of this pie is almost automatic: just combine the ingredients as per the recipe, and let the oven do the rest. In terms of cooking time, it takes about 10–15 minutes to prepare the base and 30–40 minutes to bake. The pie comes out juicy, with a golden crust and gooey cheese inside. Best of all, it requires no yeast or complicated techniques. If you’re looking for an even simpler option, check out the – it has minimal ingredients, yet the result is just as reliable.
The ingredient quantities for the savory pie with minced meat are designed for 2–3 servings, so feel free to increase the amounts if you’re serving a larger group.
Ingredients for the filling:

• mixed minced meat (pork/beef) – 300–500 g;
• hard cheese – 100–150 g;
• onion – 1–2 pcs;
• salt – to taste;
• black pepper – to taste;
• paprika – optional;
• herbs – to taste.

Ingredients for the batter:

• kefir – 200–400 ml;
• eggs – 2–3 pcs;
• flour – 250–300 g;
• baking powder – 1 tsp;
• oil – 2 tbsp;
• salt – a pinch;
• sesame seeds – for garnish.

Step-by-step preparation

1. Start with the filling. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent, then add the minced meat and cook until done. Season with salt, pepper, and optionally add paprika or a bit of garlic.
2. Add some grated cheese to the meat mixture – this will make the filling creamier.
3. For the batter, mix the kefir with the baking powder and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then add the eggs, oil, salt, and flour. Stir until smooth. The consistency should be similar to thick sour cream.
4. You can also add some cheese to the batter – this will make the crust even more flavorful.
5. Grease the baking dish and dust it with flour (cooks refer to this as a “French shirt”). Pour half of the batter, add the filling, and top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
6. Bake the savory pie with minced meat in the oven at 180°C for about 30–40 minutes, until golden brown.

The pie tastes great warm and even the next day. If you prefer more open and slightly sophisticated options, you might want to try the – another interesting idea for homemade baking.

Life Hacks

• For a delicate flavor, add cheese to the batter, and for stretchiness, include it in the filling. This savory pie with minced meat and cheese has this ingredient in both.
• For a zesty flavor, garlic or 2 tablespoons of sauce can enhance the filling.
• You can substitute kefir with sour cream for a denser batter.
• This pie is convenient to take along as a snack or serve with a light salad.

And during pumpkin season, don’t miss out on the – simple, aromatic, and not difficult to prepare.