Page 274 - Pie Squared

Heat the oven to 425°F; if you have one, place a baking stone,
Baking Steel, or inverted baking sheet on the center rack to heat

(see here).
For the filling: In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup,
relish, onion, horseradish, and pepper for the “Russian” dressing.
Add the corned beef and toss like a salad to keep the mixture light.

Combine a spoonful of filling and a pinch of sauerkraut together and
taste to evaluate the saltiness; salt only if needed. Spread the
sauerkraut across the bottom crust. Spoon the corned beef filling
over the sauerkraut and cover with an even layer of cheese. Drape

the top crust over the filling. Crimp and slash.
Whisk the egg yolk and water until thoroughly blended. With a
pastry brush, paint the top but not the edges of the crust. Scatter
caraway seeds across the surface. Bake (on top of the steel, stone,

or baking sheet if using) for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to
350°F and bake until the crust is deeply golden brown and the filling
is hot all the way through, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve hot or at room
temperature.

Techniques: Rye Crust (here), Mixing and Rolling Out (here), Crimp
and Slash (here)

Swaps:

The Rye Crust is the one that makes the most sense, but any crust
will do, such as All-Butter (here) or Leaf Lard (here).

If smoked meat is your thing, try pastrami instead of corned beef.