Italian Easter Meat Pie-Pizza Gaina Recipe for Easter Day 2024

Spread the love

Italian Easter Meat Pie-Pizza Gaina Recipe for Easter Day 2024: Italian Easter Meat Pie, sometimes referred to as pizzagaina or pizza rustica, is a rich, luscious pie with a buttery crust that is loaded with cured meats, cheeses, and eggs. It’s a customary celebration in Italian homes to mark the conclusion of Lent and the approach of Easter!

Italian Easter Meat Pie-Pizza Gaina Recipe for Easter Day 2024

Recipe: Babbo Finzi's 'Pizzagaina' (Pizza Rustica) | Italian Sons and Daughters of America

INGREDIENTS

1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese at room temperature, drained.
8 ounces of crumbled cheese (or use more ricotta cheese)
4 large eggs, beaten

½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground nutmeg
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, small diced or pulled into shreds, drained of excess liquid
4 ounces sharp provolone, ¼” dice (about 1 cup diced)

4 ounces genoa salami, ¼” dice (about 1 cup diced)
4 ounces hot soppressata, ¼” dice (about 1 cup diced)
4 ounces mortadella, ¼” dice (about 1 cup diced)
4 ounces pepperoni, ¼” dice (about 1 cup diced)

4 ounces prosciutto, ¼” dice (about 1 cup diced; use the prosciutto end; remove skin & excess fat)
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)
1 9” frozen, deep dish pie crusts or 9¾” frozen, regular-depth pie crusts, at room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS

Set an oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare and collect all ingredients in accordance with the aforementioned guidelines. Place the ricotta in a fine-mesh screen or strainer over a bowl, and leave it to drain for one to two hours at room temperature. (If you have cheesecloth, you may use it to line it.) After straining the ricotta, discard the liquid and place the strained mixture in a large bowl. Remove any extra liquid from the freshly made mozzarella.
(For step-by-step directions with images, please refer to the blog post’s section above.)

In a big basin, combine the ricotta, eggs, black pepper, nutmeg, and basket cheese, if using. Mix thoroughly.
1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese, 8 ounces basket cheese, 4 large eggs,½ tsp ground black pepper,½ tsp ground nutmeg

Next, incorporate all of the leftover meats and cheeses, mixing thoroughly until thoroughly mixed.
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, 4 ounces sharp provolone, 4 ounces genoa salami, 4 ounces hot soppressata, 4 ounces mortadella, 4 ounces pepperoni, 4 ounces prosciutto, and

Using a spatula to smooth and level the top, divide the meat and cheese mixture evenly between the two crusts and transfer it there with care.
One nine-inch frozen deep-dish pie crust

After preheating the oven to 375°F, place the filled crusts on the middle rack and set the timer for 40 minutes.
Bake the pies for around 40 minutes. They should still have golden-brown crusts and a very tiny jiggle, which will set once chilled. (If the crusts are very brown when baking, lower the oven temperature to 325°F and bake it for a little longer.)

Take the pies out of the oven, and let them cool for about two hours at room temperature (if you aren’t serving them right away). After that, carefully cover them in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge.

Savor the pizza hot, cold, or room temperature as desired! Traditionally, it is served either on Easter morning or as an appetizer for Easter brunch. Buon Appetito!

ALSO SEE

Chocolate Chia Pudding Recipes

Advertisement

NOTES

MEATS AND CHEESES:

You have a lot of flexibility here to use as many different types as you want and in whatever proportions you want. Also, there are lots of different kinds of meats that you can use. I included the specific mix above that I used, but feel free to switch it up. Other great options are: sweet soppressata, ham (prosciutto cotto), cooked Italian sausage or even turkey breast, and capicola, among others.

Ask for 1 to 2 prosciutto ends from your market if you plan on using prosciutto. It’s much cheaper! Be sure to cut off all skin and tough, sinewy pieces of fat.

As far as cheeses, ricotta is necessary for this recipe, but the others can be switched out. Use more ricotta cheese if you cannot find basket cheese. Shredded mozzarella can be used in place of fresh, and mild provolone can be used in place of sharp. Smoked mozzarella, scamorza, caciocavallo and fontina are all also great options, among other cheeses.

Grated pecorino romano is an optional cheese and can either be included in the filling or sprinkled on top (or a little of both).
Regardless of what types of meat and cheese you select, just be sure to use the total amount as indicated in the recipe.

You can strain the ricotta one night ahead and allow the ricotta to drain overnight in the refrigerator. But, be sure to bring the ricotta to room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before using.

Take the pie crusts out of the freezer before you start preparing them and let them come to room temperature as you prepare the recipe.

Although I have never had a problem with the pizza rustica overflowing in the oven, I like to bake the pie on a rack over a sheet pan as a precaution. But, you don’t have to do this.

Be sure to cool the Italian Easter meat pie before slicing it. Cooling time allows the ricotta cheese to set so that it can be sliced without falling apart.

You can make pizza rustica up to 4 days before serving and hold it in the refrigerator covered tightly with plastic wrap. You can also freeze for up to 3 months! To freeze it, wrap the chilled pie tightly in plastic wrap then a layer of foil and/or place it in a freezer bag. You can also wrap and freeze individual slices. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

If you’d like to serve pizza rustica warm and need to heat it up, just cover it in foil and place it in a 300°F oven until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave.

Italian Easter Meat Pie-Pizza Gaina Recipe for Easter Day 2024

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

ALSO SEE

NOTES

Leave a Comment Cancel reply