Italian Easter Meat Pie-Pizza Gaina Recipe 

Italian households serve Pizza Gain (also known as Pizza Rustica, Pizza China, Pizzagaina, Pizza Chena, Pizza Chiena, Meat Pie, Easter Pizza) to celebrate Easter and the end of Lent. Delicious meat, cheese, and egg dish that can be made ahead.

Ingredient

– FOR THE CRUST – 3 cups all-purpose flour – ¾ teaspoon baking powder – ½ teaspoon salt – 8 tablespoons unsalted butter – 2 large egg – ½ cup ice water – FILLING – 1½ pounds ricotta – 3 large egg – 8 ounces packaged mozzarella – 4 ounces Genoa salami – 4 ounces mortadella – 4 ounces prosciutto crudo – 4 ounces ham – 2 Tablespoons grated parmigiano-Reggiano – 2 Tablespoons grated pecorino – 2 tablespoons parsley – FOR THE EGG WASH – 1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Direction

Burst

1

FOR CUST: Prepare dough: Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to mix. add cold cubed butter. Pulse until the dough is pea-sized and coarse.

Wavy Line
Burst

2

Pulsing the processor produces pea-sized dough pieces that resemble coarse meal. Add eggs and water. Two times pulse to mix.

Wavy Line
Burst

3

The dough should be kneaded on a clean surface. Knead it to combine (don't overwork dough). Kneading it together). Divide the dough: Split the dough into 1/3 and 2/3 portions.

Wavy Line
Burst

4

Let dough rest: Leave it wrapped in plastic for 20 minutes. Bake the savory pie: Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a 9-inch spring form pan. Roll the larger dough into a 15-inch round on a clean surface.

Wavy Line
Burst

5

Insert carefully into spring form pan. Put in the fridge while making the filling. Store the other wrapped dough in the fridge. Prepare filling: Combine ricotta and eggs in a large bowl.

Wavy Line
Burst

6

Put all the meats and cheeses in. Mix everything. Remove the crusted spring form pan from the fridge. Add to pie crust bottom: Spoon cheese/meat filling into pie crust. Spread it with a spatula.

Wavy Line
Burst

7

Roll out the remaining dough on a clean surface and cut strips. Cut dough strips or roll it into a 10-inch round. Lay strips carefully in an overlapping pattern on the filling. Transfer one round piece carefully over the filling. Apply pressure to pastry edges.

Wavy Line
Burst

8

I bake my savory pie on a baking sheet for 65–75 minutes until the crust is golden in case the cheese mixture bubbles. To prevent overbrowning, loosely foil halfway through baking.Cool pie: Rack to pan. Completely cool springform pan before removing.Slice and serve: Cut and serve wedges. Slice and serve after two hours in the fridge.

Wavy Line

also see

also see

Easter Chocolate Chip and Ricotta Ciambellone Recipe