Italian Easter Pie (pizza rustica)

5 from 5 votes

Italian Easter Pie (pizza rustica)

Italian Easter pie, or Pizza Rustica, is made with Italian meats, cheeses, and a rich ricotta and egg filling, and is served on Easter Sunday across many Italian American households. This pie is also known as pizza ripiena, or pizzagaina.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2

Course: Appetizer, Main Meal

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: slices

Calories: 493kcal

Author: Marie Pinto Bialek

Equipment

Rolling Pin
Standing mixer optional but helpful
deep dish pie dish 9 inch

Ingredients

For the Crust:

2 cups All purpose flour up to 2.5 cups
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon active or instant yeast
2 tablespoons milk can substitute with half and half, or cream (or more water in a pinch)

For the Filling:

2 cups Ricotta
3 Eggs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Layering:

1 cup Easter cheese or mozzarella , cubed/sliced/shredded
8 ounces Prosciutto

For the Egg Wash:

1 egg beaten with pinch of salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make the Dough:

Combine all ingredients except for flour in large mixing bowl.
Add 2 cups of the flour and mix until well combined, about 2 to 3 minutes
Add more flour if needed, until a soft dough forms (dough should not be too sticky)
Knead for a total of 3 to 4 minutes and then let rest in covered and oiled bowl while you are preparing the filling (ideally 1 hour but I've done less and it still works)

To Make the Filling:

Beat the eggs until fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the grated cheese, ricotta, and black pepper, and mix to combine.
Set aside. Keep the prosciutto and mozzarella separate for layering.

To Layer and Bake the pie:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a deep 8- or 9-inch pie pan.
Using 2/3 of the dough, roll out a large circle and place it into the pie pan.
Spread a layer of the ricotta-egg mixture over the bottom. Add a layer of prosciutto and a layer of mozzarella or Easter cheese.
Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, ending with the ricotta-egg mixture on top (this helps create a smooth top layer).
Using the remaining dough, roll out another circle and place it over the top of the pie. Press the edges together to seal and crimp as desired.
Cut slits into the top, brush with egg wash, and bake for 80 to 90 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

Can double recipe and make in 9 x 13 casserole dish/pan

Nutrition