Italian Easter Pie / Pizza Rustica (Aka "Ham Pie")

By janriff924

There are as many variations of this traditional dish as there are names for it (Pizza Rustica, Carnival Pie, Easter Pie and Ham Pie are just a few.) Some versions include hard boiled eggs in the filling along with the meat and cheeses, this one does not. Here is my family's version which I still make every Easter. The pastry we've always used for the crust is more like a bread dough (yeast risen), however your favorite pie crust recipe may be used as well.

Ingredients

• PIE CRUST:
• 1 pastry for double-crust pie, 10 inch (or you can make the "yeast dough pie crust ")
• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons leaf lard or 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (1/4 ounce) envelope yeast
• 1 cup water
• PIE FILLING:
• 2 pounds sweet Italian sausage links
• 1/4 pound prosciutto, chopped
• 1/2 pound cooked ham, diced
• 2 pounds ricotta cheese
• 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced
• 5 eggs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley (flat leaf)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated romano cheese or 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

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.