Why it works: Cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 592 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Meat-Za Pie
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix ground beef, milk, crumbs and garlic salt until well incorporated.
Spread into a 9-inch pie pan.
Top and bake
Spread tomato paste over meat.
Arrange mushrooms over top.
Sprinkle with cheeses and oregano.
Bake 25 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 9 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Mushroom | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Oregano | 1 tsp dried (1.8g) | 5 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Cheddar cheese + parmesan cheesetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together592 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Tomato + oreganotop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,767 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Garlic + oreganotop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,756 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Garlic + tomatotop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,076 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Beef + mushroomtop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,232 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Ground beef
- Forms the savoury base of the pie and provides most of its structure once cooked.
- Breadcrumbs
- Absorb liquid and help bind the meat mixture so it holds together when sliced.
- Evaporated milk
- Adds moisture and softness to the meat mixture while keeping it tender.
- Tomato paste
- Adds concentrated savoury flavour and acidity, and helps brown the surface as it bakes.
- Cheddar cheese
- Melts over the top to create a rich, binding layer that browns lightly in the oven.
The step that matters
Mixing the meat, milk and crumbs. Mixing until well incorporated spreads the moisture and binder evenly through the meat. Uneven mixing leaves dry or soggy pockets and a pie that crumbles when cut.
Swap the oregano
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, evaporated milk, garlic, tomato, mushroom, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese):
- Oreganothe original
- Basilfits about as well
- Thymefits less well
- Celeryfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against beef, evaporated milk, garlic, tomato, mushroom, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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