Authentic Italian Pizza Rustica Recipes

PIZZA RUSTICA (A SICILIAN SAUSAGE AND PROSCIUTTO PIE)

Steps:

• Place a piece of cheesecloth into a strainer, and place the ricotta cheese into the cheesecloth. Set a bowl underneath the strainer to catch drips, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight, to allow moisture to drip from ricotta.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place sausage into a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir until browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease, and allow sausage to cool.
• Place the drained ricotta cheese into a large bowl, and stir in 5 beaten eggs and mozzarella cheese until well mixed. Mix in the cooked sausage, Parmesan cheese, parsley, prosciutto, and black pepper until thoroughly combined.
• Divide the pizza dough into fourths, and roll out 2 of the pieces into 12-inch circles. Fit the circles into 2 10-inch pie plates, leaving 1 inch of dough hanging over the edge. Divide the filling between the 2 pies. Roll out 2 top crusts, place onto the pies, and fold the edges of the bottom crusts over the edges of the top crusts to seal. Crimp and flute the edges of the pie crusts.
• Beat 1 egg with water in a small bowl, and brush the egg wash over the tops and edges of both pies. Cut several slits into the top crusts to vent steam.
• Bake pies in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Continue to bake until the crust is browned and the filling is hot, 45 to 50 more minutes. Serve at room temperature.

PIZZA RUSTICA (EASTER PIE)

Steps:

• For the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together 6 cups flour and the salt. Using a pastry cutter, large fork, or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add eggs and knead for 1 minute. Add about 1 1/4 cups ice water, a little at a time, to form a cohesive dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it forms a large smooth ball, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
• For the filling: Mix the meats, cheeses, the 10 eggs and pepper in a large bowl.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough into two pieces: two-thirds for the bottom crust and one-third for the top. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger portion of the dough into a rectangle to line the bottom and sides of a 10-by-15-inch glass baking dish, with some overhang. Add the filling and smooth it lightly. Moisten the edges of the dough with a little water.
• Roll out the remaining dough to cover the top of the dish with some overhang. Trim off excess dough and crimp the edges to seal. Poke several sets of holes across the top with a fork. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush top and edges with the beaten egg, then return to the oven until golden brown, another 45 minutes. Let pie cool completely before serving.

PIZZA RUSTICA

Steps:

• Directions:.
• Dice meats and the mozzarella cheese. Beat the eggs. Combine all ingredients and pour into pie shell. Place second pie shell on top and seal around the edges.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Occasionally pierce the top with a fork.
• For a Low-carb version omit the pie shells.

CHEF JOHN'S PIZZA RUSTICA

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, butter, and olive oil for the crust in a large bowl. Blend butter into the flour with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture, pour egg into the well, and mix with a fork until egg is mixed in, about 1 minute. Add cold water and mix briefly with a fork. Switch to mixing with your hands and press mixture into a ball. If it seems dry, sprinkle in some more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until dough comes together.
• Transfer dough to a work surface and press into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour.
• While the dough is resting, combine drained ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Pecorino Romano cheese, salt, black pepper, beaten eggs, cooked Italian sausage, smoked ham, salami, and pepperoni for the filling. Mix thoroughly until extremely well combined; don't worry about overmixing. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Rub a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and dust with flour.
• Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut off 1/3 of the dough and set aside for the top crust. Roll out the remaining dough for the bottom crust, using only as much flour as needed, into a 15-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and transfer to the prepared pan. Tuck the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, being careful not to stretch it. Remove any excess dough, dampen it with water, and use it to fill in where needed.
• Transfer filling into the pan, press firmly into the edges to ensure there are no air pockets, and smooth out the top.
• Roll remaining dough into a circle that's slightly wider than the pan. Roll dough onto the rolling pin and transfer to the pan. Position the top crust properly and press to seal it with the side edges.
• Mix egg and water for egg wash together in a small bowl.
• Brush egg wash on top of dough to moisten entire surface. Trim off excess dough if desired. Fold the side dough down from the pan edges onto the top crust and crimp edges with your fingertips until fully sealed. Brush once more with egg wash.
• Place in the center of the preheated oven, and immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake until top crust is a beautiful golden brown, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the ring and let cool another 15 minutes before slicing into wedges.

NONNA'S PIZZA RUSTICA

Steps:

• Get the Ingredients used in this recipe HERE! Prepare the Dough: In a stand mixer, add the flour, salt and the shortening or lard cut in cubes. Let the flour absorb all the shortening or lard. Add the eggs and let them mix well. Add enough milk (about 1/4 + Cups) until you have a firm ball of dough. Let it rest. Prepare the Filling: Cut all the meats and cheeses in small cubes and put in a large bowl. Add the grated Pecorino and mix. Add the eggs and mix. Add the basket cheese and mix well. Add fresh black pepper as desired. Set aside. Assemble the Pizza Rustica: Preheat the oven at 350F Butter and flour a 9" springform pan. Cut a little less than 1/3 of the dough and set aside. With a rolling pin, roll the large piece of dough in a thin circle. Place the dough over the springform pan so that it overflows the borders of the pan. Add the filing and spread it evenly. With a sharp knife, cut the excess dough from around the border of the pan. With the remaining dough, roll it thin and with a ravioli cutter, cut strips to make the criss-cross strips and arrange them on top of the filling. Wet the strips with egg wash and bake for about 1 hr and 15 mins.

ITALIAN EASTER PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the crust: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined, 3 to 4 times. Add butter and egg; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 times. Sprinkle ice water over dough; pulse until dough begins to form a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half, and shape into 2 (4-inch) disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle position. Unwrap 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll to a 16-inch circle, and carefully fit into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Prepare the filling: Cook Italian sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, breaking up sausage with a spoon until crumbled and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate and let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Whisk ricotta, mozzarella, pepper, and 3 of the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in salami, capicola, and ham.
• Shingle prosciutto slices in bottom of prepared dough-lined pan. Spread ricotta mixture over prosciutto. Scatter browned sausage over ricotta mixture, pressing lightly into an even layer. Shingle red bell peppers over sausage; top with spinach and Parmesan.
• Roll remaining dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Carefully place over filling. Trim overhang so that it's even with bottom crust; pinch top and bottom crusts firmly together. Fold dough under and crimp edges.
• Lightly beat remaining egg and brush liberally over top of pie. Using a paring knife, cut 4 (1-inch) vents in top of dough in a circular pattern. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 1 hour. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until a thermometer inserted in center of pie registers 150°F, about 30 more minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack, and let cool at least 3 hours before serving. Carefully remove sides of pan, and cut pie into slices to serve. Or cool completely, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

ITALIAN EASTER PIE | PIZZA RUSTICA

Steps:

• In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the flour, cold cubed butter, olive oil, egg, and salt. Pulse just until the mixture is combined; it should resemble coarse sand. With the food processor running, pour 4 tablespoons of cold water in and mix until the dough comes together and forms a ball.
• Lay out a piece of plastic wrap. Dump the dough on to the plastic wrap and press together into a disk shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
• In a large bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients, and mix until combined. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Divide the dough into two pieces: two-thirds for the bottom crust and one-third for the top crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece of dough into a circular shape. Carefully place the dough in a greased springform pan and line the insides and bottom with it. You can use any scrap pieces to fill in the gaps in the pan.
• Pour the ricotta filling into the crust. Use a spatula to smooth and even it out.
• Roll out the remaining pie crust into a circle. Place it over top of the ricotta filling. Trim any excess overhang and use the side crust to roll over the top crust of the pie. Brush the pie with a beaten egg and make a small "x" shape in the middle of the pie to allow steam to escape.
• Place the pie on the middle rack of the preheated oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for about 75 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool for five minutes before removing the collar; let sit for another 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN PIZZA

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
• Mix the flour with the salt and slowly add the cold water, bit by bit, until you have a nice dough. I do this in a stand mixer using a dough hook.
• Then add the dissolved yeast at the end and make sure you have a well-mixed dough.
• Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until you have a stretchy round ball of dough. Rest in a covered floured bowl in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, take the dough and split it into 3 pieces. Stretch and fold each piece four times, turning 90 degrees after each time.
• Finally roll into a ball and place each ball in a banneton or bowl for another 30 minutes.
• During this time, pre-heat your oven to its maximum heat (mine is 250C).
• Prepare your pizza pans by rubbing will olive oil and giving them a floured surface to stop the pizza from sticking.
• Then remove the dough from the bowl and on a floured surface create a disk by putting your fist in the middle. Then to create a real Neopolitan pizza base, rotate the dough in your hands to keep a thin base with a slightly thicker outside rim. It will stretch under its own weight.
• Place the pizza dough on the pizza pan and load your pizza with your favourite ingredients. Start by spreading tomato passata and a bit of olive oil from the middle with a spoon, then add mozzarella and anything else you fancy.
• Cook in the oven at the highest temperature for 10-15 minutes until cooked, or the outside crust is beginning to char. Keep checking to see if the pizza is ready and check it does not burn.
• Pre-heat your Ooni for 15 minutes.
• Then remove the dough from the bowl and on a floured surface create a disk by putting your fist in the middle. Then to create a real Neopolitan pizza base, rotate the dough in your hands to keep a thin base with a slightly thicker outside rim. It will stretch under its own weight.
• Prepare your pizza peel (paddle) by sprinkling with flour (or semolina flour if you can find some).
• Place the pizza dough on a large floured chopping board and load your pizza with your favourite ingredients. Start by spreading tomato passata and a bit of olive oil from the middle with a spoon, then add mozzarella and anything else you fancy.
• When ready slide the pizza onto the pizza peel.
• With a sharp movement slide the pizza into the Ooni.
• Keep an eye on the pizza, removing it and turning 90 degrees every 15 seconds or so. It will be ready very quickly. Make sure it does not burn or catch fire.

PIZZA RUSTICA

Steps:

• Position the rack on the bottom of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and saute until golden brown, breaking the sausage into pieces, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the juices evaporate, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Squeeze the spinach to drain as much liquid as possible.
• Into a large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly. Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the sausage, the spinach and prosciutto to the mixture and stir to combine.
• Roll out larger piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 17-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch springform pan. Trim the dough overhang to 1 inch. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dough-lined pan. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round. Place the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges of the doughs together to seal, then crimp the dough edges decoratively. Brush the beaten 1 large egg over the entire pastry top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top. Bake on the bottom shelf until the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour.
• Let stand 15 minutes. Release the pan sides and transfer the pizza to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve.
• Blend the flour, the butter, the shortening and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in the eggs. With the machine running, add the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, with 1 piece twice as large as the second piece. Flatten the dough pieces into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll out, about 30 minutes.