Pizza Rustica Italian Easter Pie Recipes

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

ITALIAN EASTER PIE / PIZZA RUSTICA (AKA "HAM PIE") RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• Make 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. 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.) If you use 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. **Please note the different pan sizes, pan preparations, baking temperatures and baking times depending on which type of crust you choose to use. The "Prep Time" does not include the 2 hour rising time for the yeast dough crust.