My inspiration for this Italian dish comes from a very close and longtime friend of mine, Cheri. She told me about an Easter Pie her grandmother used to make for the Easter holiday when she was growing up.
I’ve done something a little different for this recipe. I decided to add mini multi-colored sweet peppers and asparagus to my recipe. I wanted a springtime touch in this pie. This is my Easter Pie 🥧🥧🥧.
Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 45 to 55 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Yields: 8 to 10 servings
Equipment: 1 (9-inch) springform pan, whisk, chef’s knife, paring knife, large mixing bowl, 1/2 sheet pan, rolling pin, pastry brush, ruler, 1 (10-inch) sauté pan, 2 small containers,1 (10-cup) food processor
Ingredients:
Dough:
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons of ice water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/4 teaspoons of Kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus more to grease the pan
Filling:
22.5 ounces of whole milk ricotta cheese (approx. 1 1/2 (15-ounce) containers)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
7 large eggs, reserve 1 for egg wash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (8-ounce) package of mini sweet peppers, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 (8-ounce) frozen thawed package of asparagus, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, substitute spicy
8 thin slices of Genoa salami
8 thin slices Capicola (Capocollo)
10 thin slices of Provolone cheese
Directions:
1). For the dough:
In a food processor add the flour and Kosher salt. Pulse a couple of times. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs and iced water, and set aside. Add the chilled butter and pulse about 10 times until pea-size pieces remain. Pour the egg mixture and pulse 15 to 20 times until a dough ball forms. Place the dough ball on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 1 minute. Divide into 2 balls, one half slightly bigger. The larger half will be used for the bottom crust of the pie. Wrap each ball with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
2). For the filling:
While the dough is resting, In a sauté pan over medium heat, sauté the peppers in 1 table of olive oil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until soft and slightly brown around the edges. Transfer to a small container. Next, add the sausage to the same pan. Break up the pieces while it’s cooking, 5 to 8 minutes until there is no pink. Drain the sausage on a paper-lined plate, leaving behind any fat. Transfer to a small container. Set aside.
3). Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter.
4). On a well-floured counter, roll out the larger of the two dough balls into a thin 14-inch circle. Loosely roll the dough ball around a rolling pin and unroll it over the prepared cake pan, allowing the excess to hang over the side. Press the dough gently into the sides of the pan so there is no gap between the pan and the dough. Shingle the salami over the bottom of the dough, creating an even layer. Then add the asparagus and sweet pepper mixture in an even layer on top of the salami. Next, add half of the egg mixture and spread it out evenly, then top with the capicola in an even layer. Layer in the sausage and top with the remaining egg mixture, then finally shingle in the provolone cheese.
5). Again on a well-floured counter, roll out the other disk of dough to a 12-inch circle. Loosely roll the dough circle around the rolling pin. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the outside rim of the dough with the egg wash. Unroll and lay the remaining dough circle over the top of the pie and cut off the excess dough. Press both circles together to create a seal. Crimp the edges of the pie. Brush the remaining egg wash over the entire top and using a paring knife, cut 4 small slits in the top of the pie. Cover the edges of the pie with foil to prevent the crimped edges from burning.
6). Note: Each oven may vary slightly in cooking times.
Bake until golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the foil around the edges during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Let the pie stand for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
There you have it, my Easter Pie.
