• Move the oven rack to the lowest setting. Preheat oven to 375° F.

  Grease a large and deep springform pan with butter; set aside.

  Cook pasta al dente (cooked yet firm) according to package instructions; drain and set aside.

Eggplant

• Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven to cover the bottom of the pan; heat over medium heat. Use tongs to gently add the thick slices of eggplant; salt and pepper, cook for about 5 minutes or until the eggplant has browned. Flip each slice over and repeat.

  Once both sides have browned, transfer to a large baking sheet with paper towels to dry. Use another paper towel to gently pat the tops dry as well.

  Wipe out the excess oil from the Dutch oven.

Meat Sauce

• Heat 2 tablespoons additional olive oil in the same large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook until softened. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage; brown over medium-high heat. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant.

  Drain fat completely (so you don't have a soggy pie).
• Return the beef/sausage mixture to the stove and stir in beef broth; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature to medium heat and add crushed tomatoes and bay leaves; combine well and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This time allows the natural flavors to combine prior to adding any seasonings.

  Remove bay leaves.
• Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; combine well. Heat for 5 minutes and taste test to see if you prefer additional seasonings.
• Stir in cooked pasta and frozen peas; reduce heat to simmer.

Pie Assembly

• Press one pie crust into the bottom and sides of the prepared springform pan. Allow the excess pastry to hang over the sides.
• Layer the pie in this order: meat sauce, ¼ cup cheese blend, 1 tablespoon panko bread crumbs, cooked eggplant slices, basil leaves, meat sauce, ¼ cup cheese blend, 1 tablespoon panko bread crumbs, sliced fresh mozzarella, meat sauce, additional cheese blend, and top with the second pie crust by tucking the top crust into the sides of the bottom crust. Allow the excess pastry to hang over the sides.
• Cut the edges of the leftover pie pastry, crimp the edges, and with a sharp knife cut steam vents in the top of the pie.

  Brush the top of the pie and crimped edges with egg wash. Sprinkle paprika over the wet egg wash.
• Bake at 375° F for 45 minutes on the lowest rack.

  Allow the pie to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before releasing from the springform pan. Then cool for an additional 10 minutes prior to serving to ensure it has properly set.