Pizza Rustica Easter Pie Recipes

EASTER SAVORY PIE (PIZZA RUSTICA) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, olive oil, and instant yeast.
• Add the flour and salt, and mix the dough together with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball. Then knead the dough for 1 minute, or until it feels smooth and springy.
• Cover the dough in the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• In a large bowl, add 10 eggs, ricotta, parsley, and Pecorino Romano. Whisk the mixture until smooth.
• Add the ham, pepperoni, provolone, hard salami, prosciutto, and bread crumbs. Fold in the cubed meats and cheeses. The texture should be thick and slightly wet.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, dump it onto a floured surface, knead for 2 minutes, and shape it into a ball. Roll the dough out to a rough circle, about ¼-inch (½-cm) thick.
• With a pizza cutter or knife, cut out a large disc that is 2 inches (5-cm) wider than a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan or round baking dish. With the rest of the dough, cut thick strips about 9 inches (23-cm) long and 1 inch (2 cm) thick.
• Transfer the dough disc into the springform pan or baking dish. Gently press the dough against the bottom and sides of the pan, allowing the excess to hang over the sides.
• Pour the egg, cheese, and meat mixture into the pan. Pack the filling down and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Weave the strips of dough on top to create a decorative pattern. Trim any excess dough, then fold and crimp the edges. Brush the top with egg wash.
• Bake the pizza rustica for 2 hours, or until the filling is cooked through and the pizza dough has browned.
• Let the the pizza rustica cool completely. Remove from the pan. Chill in the refrigerator overnight on a wire rack.
• Enjoy!

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:

• 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.

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.

ITALIAN EASTER PIE /PIZZA RUSTICA (AKA "HAM PIE")

Steps:

• Directions for making and using the yeast dough crust: In a cup, mix yeast and warm water together.
• Place flour on a pastry board, add leaf lard (or butter), salt, pepper and yeast/water mixture.
• Work together well until dough forms, continue working the dough until it is elastic and smooth.
• Place dough in a deep dish, cover and allow it to rise in a warm place for 2 hours, or until doubled in volume.
• When dough has risen, cut into 2 pieces.
• Stretch one piece to fit into a greased 9 x 2 1/2-inch round cake pan.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Prepare filling as described below (steps #19 to #22).
• After filling the dough lined pan, stretch second piece of dough and place over the filling, pressing the edges closed.
• If there is a lot of excess dough left on the edge, carefully trim some, but leave enough to flute the sealed edge.
• (I like to brush the crust with a bit of beaten egg before baking, to give it a gloss.) Directions for using a regular pie crust dough: Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Prepare pastry and line a 10 inch pie pan.
• Prick dough with a fork, and sprinkle with a bit of flour.
• Prepare filling as described below (steps #19 to #22).
• Pour mixture into pastry lined pie tin and cover with top crust.
• Leave about a 1/2 to 3/4-inch overhang.
• Fold dough under and back, and flute edge.
• Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape.
• Directions for making the Filling: Cut sausage into small pieces (or remove from casings and crumble), place in frying pan and brown lightly in 2 Tablespoons of water.
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, salt and pepper; add eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition.
• Add cooked sausage, prosciutto, ham, parsley and grated cheese to ricotta mixture.
• Blend well.
• Fill dough lined pan with mixture.
• Directions for Baking: For Regular Pie Crust: Bake the pie for 15 minutes in preheated (400°) oven, lower oven temperature to 325°F and continue baking for 45-50 minutes more.
• Remove from oven and let pie "settle" for about 10 minutes before slicing if you are going to serve it warm; otherwise let pie cool and refrigerate when cooled.
• Pie can be served either warm or cold.
• Slices can be reheated in the microwave.
• For Yeast Dough Crust: Bake the pie in a preheated 375°F oven for 45-50 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let pie "settle" for about 10 minutes before slicing if you are going to serve it warm; otherwise let pie cool and refrigerate when cooled.
• Pie can be served either warm or cold.
• Slices can be reheated in the microwave.

PIZZA RUSTICA (SAVORY EASTER PIE)

Steps:

• FOR THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, whisk together 6 cups flour and the salt. Using a pastry cutter, or a large fork, or two knives, cut the chilled butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the 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.
• Preheat the 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 10x15-inch glass baking dish, with a little 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 oven and brush top and edges with the beaten egg, then return to the oven and bake until golden brown, another 45 minutes.
• Let cool completely before serving.