Special Italian Easter Pizza Recipes

Steps:

• Cook and stir Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking the sausage into crumbles as it cooks, until well browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain excess grease; set sausage aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Oil the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with olive oil.
• Cut 1/3 of the dough off the loaf and set aside under a cloth. Form the remaining 2/3 dough into a ball and roll into a 14-inch circle on a floured work surface.
• Line the springform pan with rolled dough, allowing dough to hang over the edge by 2 inches all around.
• Layer half the cooked Italian sausage, half the mozzarella cheese, half the ham, half the provolone cheese, half the salami, and half the pepperoni into the pie crust.
• Spoon and spread half the ricotta cheese over the layers of meat and cheeses.
• Sprinkle half the Parmesan cheese over the ricotta.
• Pour half the 8 beaten eggs over the layers; continue layering the remaining meats, sliced cheeses, ricotta cheese, and then Parmesan cheese.
• Pour remaining beaten eggs over the last layer of Parmesan cheese.
• Roll out remaining piece of bread dough to a circle about 12 inches in diameter; lay the piece over the pie to form the top crust. Roll and pinch the bottom crust overhang over the top crust to seal in the filling.
• Beat 1 egg with water in a small bowl; brush the top of the pie with egg wash.
• Bake pie in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set, 50 to 60 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the middle of the crust should come out without raw egg.
• Allow pie to cool in the pan for at least 25 minutes before releasing the spring and removing pie from the pan. Transfer to a serving platter and cut into wedges for serving.

Steps:

• For the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together 6 cups flour and the salt. Using a pastry cutter, large fork, or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add eggs and knead for 1 minute. Add about 1 1/4 cups ice water, a little at a time, to form a cohesive dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it forms a large smooth ball, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
• For the filling: Mix the meats, cheeses, the 10 eggs and pepper in a large bowl.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough into two pieces: two-thirds for the bottom crust and one-third for the top. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger portion of the dough into a rectangle to line the bottom and sides of a 10-by-15-inch glass baking dish, with some overhang. Add the filling and smooth it lightly. Moisten the edges of the dough with a little water.
• Roll out the remaining dough to cover the top of the dish with some overhang. Trim off excess dough and crimp the edges to seal. Poke several sets of holes across the top with a fork. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush top and edges with the beaten egg, then return to the oven until golden brown, another 45 minutes. Let pie cool completely before serving.

Steps:

• Cube ham meat. Cut sliced meat by rolling & slicing or cutting with scissors. Cube mozzarella. In very large bowl, add ricotta & basket cheese. Add 15 eggs. Hand stir with whisk. Add 3 heaping tablespoons Grated cheese - then stir in the cubed meat and cheese.
• Brush pan with oil then melted butter. Roll out & lay dough. Add cheese/meat mixture. Add top layer of dough and pinch bottom & top dough seams together tightly.
• Brush top with oil then egg. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Make Easter Cross with large fork to vent. Bless.
• Bake 375º x 10 min then 350º x 60 min then 325º x 30-45 minute.
• Remove from oven. Brush top with melted butter. Cool 2-3 hours Turn upside down overnight on large board. Cover pizza tightly with paper towel, foil, & dish-towel. Refrigerate. Serve noon or later on Easter Saturday.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, olive oil, and instant yeast.
• Add the flour and salt, and mix the dough together with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball. Then knead the dough for 1 minute, or until it feels smooth and springy.
• Cover the dough in the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• In a large bowl, add 10 eggs, ricotta, parsley, and Pecorino Romano. Whisk the mixture until smooth.
• Add the ham, pepperoni, provolone, hard salami, prosciutto, and bread crumbs. Fold in the cubed meats and cheeses. The texture should be thick and slightly wet.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, dump it onto a floured surface, knead for 2 minutes, and shape it into a ball. Roll the dough out to a rough circle, about ¼-inch (½-cm) thick.
• With a pizza cutter or knife, cut out a large disc that is 2 inches (5-cm) wider than a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan or round baking dish. With the rest of the dough, cut thick strips about 9 inches (23-cm) long and 1 inch (2 cm) thick.
• Transfer the dough disc into the springform pan or baking dish. Gently press the dough against the bottom and sides of the pan, allowing the excess to hang over the sides.
• Pour the egg, cheese, and meat mixture into the pan. Pack the filling down and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Weave the strips of dough on top to create a decorative pattern. Trim any excess dough, then fold and crimp the edges. Brush the top with egg wash.
• Bake the pizza rustica for 2 hours, or until the filling is cooked through and the pizza dough has browned.
• Let the the pizza rustica cool completely. Remove from the pan. Chill in the refrigerator overnight on a wire rack.
• Enjoy!