Lidia Easter Ricotta Pie Recipes

ITALIAN RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bring 2 or more quarts of water to boil on stove. In the bottom rack of the preheated oven, place a baking dish such as a 9×13-inch baking dish and fill with the hot, boiled water. Place another oven rack directly over that to next rack position.
• In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and sugar. Stir to combine.
• In a smaller bowl combine egg yolks, milk, olive oil, and both extracts.
• Make a hole in the center of the flour and pour in liquid. With a wooden spoon, mix to combine. (If the mixture gets too difficult to combine with a wooden spoon, used your hands to finish mixing).
• Flour your countertop well and place the dough ball in the center, pressing to form a round disc. Keep flouring, pressing and flipping. Flour a rolling pin and gently roll to a circle an inch or two larger than a deep dish 9-inch pie plate.
• Either fold the dough in half and place over half the pie plate, flipping other half over or roll the dough onto your rolling pin than back over the pie plate. Again, the dough is soft and delicate so be gentle.
• Use your fingers to form and press the dough into the confines of the pie dish, crimping the top edge all the way around (as you would any other pie) by pinching with thumb and index finger. Set aside, the shell is not pre-baked.
• Make the filling by placing the ricotta in a large bowl and mixing in sugar until combined.
• Add whole eggs, egg whites and vanilla and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. If lumpy, use a wire whisk to smooth out.
• Pour directly into unbaked crust. Cover the crust edge with foil or pie crust shield so the edges don't get too browned as the pie bakes.
• Place pie in the center of oven on the rack over the water bath and bake for one hour and ten minutes. Turn off oven but leave the pie in the oven for ten more minutes. (Don't open the oven door during any of the time that the pie is in the oven.)
• Carefully remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. (Cool completely before refrigerating - if you put the pie in the refrigerator while still warm, it will weep slightly and collect moisture on top.) Chill overnight uncovered.
• Once chilled, cut and serve.

EASTER RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the ricotta with the sugar until very smooth.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon.
• Stir in the candied fruit, orange zest and chocolate chips.
• Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell.
• Place onto rimmed baking sheet for ease of pulling it out of the oven.
• Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and swirl it with the tip of a knife.
• Bake the pie for 45 minutes, or until ricotta is set and toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool down and refrigerate.

RICOTTA PIE (OLD ITALIAN RECIPE)

Steps:

• Beat the 12 eggs, 2 cups sugar and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the chocolate chips, if using (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and 1 cup sugar together. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in 4 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Divide dough into 4 balls, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two deep-dish pie plates.
• Roll out 2 of the balls to fit into the pie pans. Do not make the crust too thick, as it will expand during cooking. Do not flute the edges of the dough. Roll out the other 2 balls of dough and cut each into 8 narrow strips for the top of the crust. (Alternately, you can use cookie cutters and place the cutouts on the top of the pies.)
• Pour the ricotta filling evenly into the pie crusts. Top each pie with 8 narrow strips of dough or cookie cut-outs. Brush top of pie with milk for shine, if desired. Place foil on the edge of crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes; remove foil. Rotate pies on the rack so they will bake evenly. Continue to bake until a knife inserted in the center of each pie comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate until serving.

RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• To make the pie crust: Into a bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening and blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a bowl, whisk together the egg and 2 tablespoons of the ice water. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and toss to combine, adding more water, if necessary, to form a dough. Chill the dough, wrapped in plastic, until firm.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle 1/8-inch thick and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Crimp the edge, prick the bottom, and chill while making the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the ricotta with the sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in the candied fruit and chocolate chips. Pour the filling into the pie shell.
• Bake the pie for 45 minutes, or until just set. Let cool and chill.

EASTER PIE

Steps:

• Blend 3/4 cup of powdered sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the rice and pine nuts. Set the ricotta mixture aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lightly butter a 9-inch glass pie dish. Lay 1 phyllo sheet over the bottom and up the sides of the dish, allowing the phyllo to hang over the sides. Brush the phyllo with the melted butter. Top with a second sheet of phyllo dough, laying it in the opposite direction as the first phyllo sheet. Continue layering the remaining sheets of phyllo sheets, alternating after each layer and buttering each sheet. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dish. Fold the overhanging phyllo dough over the top of the filling to enclose it completely. Brush completely with melted butter.
• Bake the pie until the phyllo is golden brown and the filling is set, about 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool completely. Sift powdered sugar over the pie and serve.

EASTER MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place ricotta in a large mixing bowl and add eggs one at a time while mixing on low speed. Stir in mozzarella, ham, salami, and prosciutto until all ingredients are well combined. Line two 9 inch pans with pastry. Spoon half of mixture into each pan. Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese over each pie, then cover with top pastry. Crimp edges and cut steam vents in tops.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until crust is golden brown. Cool on racks.

GRAIN AND RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Spoon the ricotta into a large fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth or a basket-type coffee filter. Set the sieve over a bowl and cover the ricotta well with plastic wrap. Drain in the refrigerator at least overnight, or up to 24 hours. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
• Make the dough:
• Process 2 cups of granulated sugar, 4 egg yolks, and the lemon zest in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade until all ingredients are blended. Add the butter and process, using quick on/off pulses, just until incorporated. Scrape out the dough into a mixing bowl and stir in the flour just until you have a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour, or up to 1 day.
• Make the filling:
• Soak the wheat kernels in a bowl with enough water to cover by three fingers until softened, 3 to 4 hours. Drain well.
• Bring the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Stir in the drained wheat and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar. Return to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wheat kernels are tender but still have some bite, about 45 minutes. (Most of the milk will have been absorbed.) Drain, and cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 12-inch springform pan. Roll out two-thirds of the dough into a 16-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Lift the dough circle into the pan, pressing it gently against the bottom and sides and into the corners of the pan. Most likely the dough will tear. Don't be alarmed, simply press the torn edges together after fitting the dough into the pan. Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle, and slide onto a baking sheet. Refrigerate the lined pan and rolled dough until needed.
• Process the remaining 2 1/4 quarter cups granulated sugar, the eggs, and egg yolks in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade until pale yellow. Spoon in the drained ricotta and add the orange water and cinnamon. Mix, using quick on/off pulses, just until blended. Scrape the ricotta mixture into the bowl with the grain, scatter the candied fruit peel over all, and fold together with a rubber spatula until blended. Scrape the filling into the pre-prepared pastry shell.
• Cut the 12-inch pastry circle into 1/2-inch strips. Make a lattice top by laying strips of the dough in alternating directions over the filling. Press the strips of dough gently to join them to the dough along the sides of the pan and pinch off any overhanging dough.
• Bake until pastry is golden brown and the center feels springy when poked with a finger, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove, and cool completely before serving. The cake will keep, refrigerated, for up to a week. It will be better a day or two after baking. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

PIZZA RUSTICA (EASTER PIE)

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.

RICOTTA PIE- EASTER PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat ricotta and eggs together.
• Add vanilla and sugar, mix well.
• Line a 13x9 inch pan with dough.
• Pour batter over.
• Cover with a lattice top with the remaining crust.
• Bake 350 degrees, check after 1 hour, 1 inch in from side with a knife, if clean it is done.
• If not check in increments of 5 minutes until the knife comes out clean.
• You may need a bigger pan, it depends on how runny the ricotta is.
• Let cool on a rack and then cut into 2 inch squares, it is very heavy, a little goes a long way.
• Refrigerate leftovers immediately.