Food

Pizza Rustica Recipe

Also called Pizza Piena, Pizza Gain, or Pizza Chiena, you'll find this loaded pie at most Italian Easter meals.
pizza-piena-recipe
Photo by Farideh Sadeghin

Servings: 8-10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

for the crust:
3 cups|425 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ tablespoons|20 grams lard
¾ cup|177 ml olive oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

for the filling:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 sweet Italian sausages, casings removed (about 8 ounces|225 grams)
1 pound|450 grams ricotta cheese
4 ounces|115 grams cubed ham
4 ounces|115 grams cubed mozzarella
4 ounces|115 grams cubed pepperoni
4 ounces|115 grams cubed salami
2 ounces|55 grams grated parmesan cheese
7 large eggs
1 tablespoon whole milk

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DIRECTIONS

  1. Make the crust: In a large bowl, mix the flour with the pepper and salt. Add the lard and, using your fingers, break it into small pieces. Add the oil, eggs, and 3 tablespoons water and mix to form a smooth dough. Cut ⅓ of the crust off into a ball and flatten both pieces into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  2. Make the filling: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into smaller pieces using a wooden spoon, until brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool completely, then transfer to a bowl with the ricotta, ham, mozzarella, pepperoni, salami, parmesan, and 6 eggs and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
  3. Heat the oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger piece of dough out into a 13-inch circle. Form the circle into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan, leaving about 1-inch overhanging. Add the filling into an even layer. Roll out the smaller ball of dough into a 9 ½-inch circle and lay on top of the filling. Crimp the dough to seal. Mix the remaining egg with the milk in a small bowl and brush on the top of the pie. Bake for 30 minutes, then decrease the temperature to 300°F and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool, then remove the pie from the springform pan. Cut into wedges to serve.

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