Italian Easter Pie Recipes

italian easter pie recipe?

does any one know a recipe for easter pie? made with a cheese called cheese in a basket and only sold during that holiday? its a old italian recipe and many italian deli's sell it during that time it also has proscuitto in it.

The pie you're thinking of has many different names and many different recipes, depending on what region of Italy you're talking about. Seems each region has it's own version, but no matter where you are, it's traditional to serve it on Easter when Lent is over and eating meats, cheeses, and eggs is okay again.

Also, no matter what region you're in, it seems to be a quiche-like affair that contains ricotta cheese (which must be the "cheese in a basket" you are referring to, since that's how it's drained of whey after it's made.

Here is one recipe I found, which may or may not be the one you're looking for, but it certainly looks good, and it contains prosciutto:

1/4 pound Asiago cheese, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 pound provolone cheese, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 pound ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Oiled hard-boiled eggs
3 pounds procuitto
1 pound pepperoni
1 pound salami - hard
12 medium eggs - beaten

Dough

1 1/2 pounds flour - all purpose unbleached
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 large eggs
2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons black pepper, ground
Warm water - enough to make a soft pliable dough

METHOD

Dough: Put wet ingredients in a well made in the flour - if mixing by hand. If using a food processor, add wet ingredients to the flour in processor bowl. In either case, mix until a smooth dough is obtained. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Filling: Cut all ingredients into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces. This includes cheeses, prociutto, pepperoni and hard cooked eggs. Mix this with the beaten eggs, and check to see if filling is the consistency of a loose risotto. If so, good. If not, add a few more eggs.

Preparing the Torta: Preheat oven to 350° F.

Roll out half the dough and press into an oiled, deep oven casserole, being sure to bring dough up sides of pan. Make sure that dough rests on the bottom of the pan with no air pockets. Let dough hang over sides for now. Spoon filling into pan, gently pressing it from time to time to remove air pockets. Stop when filling reaches about 1/4 inch from top. (Depending on size of pan, one or two pies can be made.)

Roll out second piece of dough. Wet edges of dough forming the bottom with either water or milk, and place second piece of dough on torta. Use tines of a fork to attach top piece to bottom along top edge of pan. Cut excess dough hanging off sides with a scissors.

Brush top of pie with olive oil, then snip 3 or 4 small holes in top of dough to allow air and liquid to escape while baking. Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and place on a rack. The torta may be served warm, at room temperature or cold. We like it best served at room temperature with a good olive oil drizzled over it. It may be served as a main course or as an appetizer.

Here is a recipe for an Easter Pie with smaller amounts of ingredients. I think I'll make this one this weekend. It sounds really good!:

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut in cubes
2 eggs

Filling

6 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces farmer cheese, fresh soft cheese or ricotta cheese
2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
3 ounces shredded ham
3 ounces shredded salami
3 ounces shredded prosciutto
METHOD

Crust: Mix flour and salt and place in bowl of a food processor. Add butter cubes, one at a time to dough. After each cube pulse food processor just enough to work in butter. Do not overwork or dough will toughen. Dough should resemble coarse meal.

Add eggs. Pulse dough until it comes together in a ball. Cut dough in half so that one half is slightly bigger than the other. The smaller half will be the top crust. Wrap each in plastic wrap and rest dough for an hour in fridge. (If you don't have a food processor, work in butter with a dough cutter or a fork and use your hands to integrate eggs.)

When dough is almost done resting, preheat oven to 350°F. Make filling: Beat eggs with salt and pepper. Blend cheese into eggs. Shred or slice meat, or put in food processor for a finer textured pie and add to egg/cheese mixture.

Roll out larger piece of dough on a floured board until it will fill a 9-inch pie shell. Add filling. Roll out smaller piece of dough until it will cover top. Crimp around edges to seal it.

If you'd like, you can brush the top with an egg wash, (beaten eggs). This will give it a sheen when it bakes. Finally, poke holes or slits in the top crust to allow the steam to vent.

Cook in preheated 350°F oven or 45 minutes.

Hope this helps!

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