Easter Pizza Rustica Recipe

Pizza Rustica or pizzagaina is a large Italian pizza pie consisting of a pastry-like crust that goes both on top and on the bottom, and in between the crust, it holds ingredients such as salami, ham, prosciutto, eggs, and Italian cheeses such as mozzarella, ricotta, Pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano Reggiano.


This recipe can be cut in half as it makes one large or two small ones and it also freezes well.


It's hard to determine what classification this goes under being pizza Rustica as it is part pastry, part quiche, part pie, and part pizza at the same time.


The dish is traditionally prepared for Easter we usually serve this at room temperature as an appetizer.

Even though pizza Rustica is Italian in origin, it is also popular in the Italian-American community here in the United States besides Italy and all of Europe.


If you love Italian traditional foods like this for Easter, try our Best Easter Italian Roundup of Recipes.

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for this fabulous thick meat pizza Rustica recipe..

A Little History on Easter Pie

This Italian Easter Pizza Rustica comes from Naples and can trace its history back to the 17th century.



During this time period, it was a real Easter treat and a must make.



After fasting for 40 days from any dairy foods, this was a decadent dish to break that Lenten fast

Naples

In and around Naples, the dish is known as pizza Rustica, pizza ripiena, or pizza chiena.



The different spellings and names come from the different Regions and dialects in Italian but they all mean the same thing. It's a stuffed pizza.



Pizza Rustica is layered with many imported types of meat, such as fresh genoa salami and traditional Italian cheeses.

Cheese and Meats to Use

• basket cheese is very similar to ricotta we use only ricotta you can use both
• provolone
• mozzarella
• pecorino romano
• genoa salami
• prosciutto
• pepperoni
• soppressata
• capicola

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Tips

1. these can be made in individual cupcake tins or small 4-inch quiche pans, pie plates must be a deep dish
2.  any meats you like can be substituted
3. you can use all basket cheese or ricotta or both
4. if you're in a hurry use a premade deep-dish pie crust 
5. poke holes on the top crust and egg wash before baking
6. make sure you brush the meats with beaten egg on every layer
7. cheese goes last on the top layer
8. for a flavored crust add some granulated garlic powder and more grated cheese
9. bake until the center is set it sometimes takes up to an hour depending on thickness

Easter Pizza Rustica Pin for later

Easter Pie

If you love quiche then you will love this Easter pie, full of tasty cheeses, eggs, deli meat and baked in this delicious crust.



Give it and try and let me know how you like it, this is a classic Easter Holiday Italian recipe.

Italian Pizza Rustica, Easter Meat Pie, Rustica Easter Pie, Italian Easter Quiche, Easter Pizza Rustica Recipe

quiche recipes, pizza recipes, Italian recipes, Easter recipes, meat pie recipes

Italian

Yield: 10

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Easter Pizza Rustica Recipe

This is an Easter Pizza Rustica traditional deep-dish cousin to quiche with a buttery crust. It's chock full of cheeses and meats.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

Ingredients

• Rustica Filling:
• 4 beaten eggs(half for brushing the meats)
• 15 oz container of whole milk ricotta( strain if too wet) if you would like to use basket cheese, use half and half of each of around 7 and 1/2 ounces ricotta and basket cheese.
• 1/2 teaspoon each  black pepper, salt
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic or 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup of prosciutto, sliced
• 2 cups of genoa salami, sliced
• 1/2 cup capicola ham sliced 
• 6 hard-boiled eggs sliced
• 1 cup cubed pepperoni,
• 1 cup of soppressata,
• 1 cup mixed shredded provolone and mozzarella
• 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese
• a small handful of chopped fresh basil is optional
• Note: for spicier Rustica add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Rustica Crust:
• 2 cups of flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 eggs (1 more egg beaten for brushing the top of the dough)
• 1/4 cup vegetable, canola, or olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

1. Heavily spray the pan with cooking oil or line with parchment then set aside.
2. For the crust:
3. In a medium-sized bowl mix flour, salt, pepper, 2 eggs, milk and oil, and baking powder.
4. Cut the dough in half.
5. Roll out bottom crust and place in the prepared pan (one deep-dish pie plate, a disposable 12 x 9 pan or you can use a springform pan).
6. For the filling (this is layered however you want the meat to go first and just a guideline):
7. Add to a large bowl two of the eggs whisked together, basil, add pecorino cheese, ricotta,  salt, garlic, and pepper, and set aside.
8. Place some of the prosciutto and half the ricotta on the crust in your lined pan. 
9. Next, add the salami and brush with a little beaten egg.
10. Place the boiled eggs next then pepperoni, brush with more egg.
11. Add the soppressata and hot ham, add the remaining ricotta and salami.
12. Brush with more egg., add the mozzarella and provolone.
13. Top with remaining thinly rolled out crust either full sheet or lattice top, and more egg wash.
14. Bake at 375 degrees for 55 minutes or until the top is nicely browned.

Calories

760.39

Fat (grams)

51.48

Sat. Fat (grams)

20.42

Carbs (grams)

23.94

Fiber (grams)

0.86

Net carbs

23.08

Sugar (grams)

2.16

Protein (grams)

48.11

Sodium (milligrams)

2938.23

Cholesterol (grams)

360.14

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2017/04/easter-pizza-rustica-recipe.html

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Easter Pizza Rustica Pin for later

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