Italian Holiday Pie Recipes

ITALIAN RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add rice, ricotta, sugar, orange rind, lemon rind, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined.
• Roll out half of pastry to fit 10 inch deep-dish pie pan. Place pastry in pan, and fill with ricotta mixture. Roll out remaining pastry and cut 12 1-inch wide strips. Lay strips in a lattice pattern on top of filling. Brush pastry with milk.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until toothpick inserted in filling comes out clean.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Stir together ricotta and 6 eggs until smooth.
• Stir in sugar, vanilla, heavy cream, milk and cinnamon.
• Set aside filling.
• In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and sugar.
• Cut in butter with pastry blender until chunks resemble coarse crumbs.
• Mix in lightly beaten eggs and vanilla extract just until incorporated.
• Divide dough in half, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out dough to fit into 2 greased pie plates.
• (Not too thick though, because this dough will expand due to the baking powder and eggs.)
• The dough is crumbly so I don't suggest fluting the edges.
• Pour the ricotta filling evenly into both pie pans.
• Shield edges of crust all the way around with foil and place pies in the oven.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and rotate pies if needed so they cook evenly.
• Bake an additional 30 - 45 minutes, until crust is golden and a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool completely, then refrigerate before serving.
• Optional: garnish with whipped cream and lemon zest if desired.

ITALIAN HOLIDAY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla together in a mixing bowl until light colored and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Pour in the milk and cream; continue beating to make a smooth mixture. Stir in the ricotta cheese and cherries until evenly blended. Pour into the pie shells.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and bake until set, about 50 minutes more. Cool on racks. When pies are completely cool, dust with confectioners' sugar, and decorate by placing 1 whole cherry in the center of each pie.

MOMMA'S ITALIAN PASTIERRA OR HOLIDAY PIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together sugar and softened butter.
• To this, add egg yolks one at a time alternating between flour also added a bit at a time.
• Add 1 Tbsp.
• water at a time, until all is incorporated and dough is smooth.
• Set aside; and keep in a cool place to rest until ready to roll out while you prepare the filling.
• FILLING: I do all this is a food processor but it can be done with an electric mixer easily.
• Add the cheese, eggs, sugar,*orange water, zest of lemon, zest of orange and mix well until smooth.
• Set aside.
• Mix in cherries and citron by hand.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4-inch thick and fit into the bottom and up the sides of a 15" round, 4" high cake pan.
• This dough is very forgiving and can be manipulated easily to fit the pan and to patch torn areas.
• If you have extra dough, roll and cutout thin strips to place on top of filling in a lattice pattern.
• On top of dough, cut and place 1/2-inch slices of sponge cake to fit around the bottom of the pan.
• Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of sponge cake.
• Pour batter into pan.
• Top with lattice strips.
• Preheat oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Bake for 1-1/4 hours.
• Turn off oven and leave the pie in the oven with door open to cool slowly.
• After completely cooled, dust the top of the pie with confectionery sugar.