Italian Easter Pie Recipe

You might naturally assume that a holiday pie is by default a sweet dessert, but this Italian Easter pie recipe is a savory delight. "This is a very traditional recipe," explains Tasting Table recipe developer Jessica Morone. "While some recipes include different types of meat or cheeses, they are all pretty similar to this one." We love experimentation but a classic dish deserves to be in the spotlight too. 

Morone shares, "My favorite thing about this recipe is that it reminds me of a traditional Easter dinner with my Italian grandmother." She goes on to explain, "This is what she would serve every year at Easter, so I love making a recipe that honors her memory." Whether or not you have your own family dishes that come around on a yearly basis, you'll want to add this pie to the lineup. Staples like flour, butter, and eggs bring this cheese and meat-centric dish together, for a fluffy and loaded result.

For this recipe you'll need all-purpose flour, cold butter (cubed), large eggs, kosher salt, and cold water. This three-cheese concoction consists of part-skim ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and freshly grated Parmesan. A bit of ground pepper adds a punch of flavor to season the filling. Finally, four types of meat play a leading role in the pie: smoked ham, Genoa salami, pepperoni, and prosciutto. Dice the ham, salami, and pepperoni before you begin.

"I definitely suggest making pie dough in a food processor if possible," Morone comments, adding that it "makes everything much quicker and easier." That being said, if you don't have the appliance you can do it by hand. Morone warns that it's especially important to use cold butter and water, explaining that "if your ingredients aren't cold your pie dough won't end up as flaky and delicious as possible."

Add the flour, cold butter cubes, salt, and one egg to the bowl, then pulse to mix the ingredients together. When it looks like coarse sand, add 4 tablespoons of cold water and keep pulsing the mixture. Once it comes together into a dough, transfer it to a surface and shape it into a disc with your hands. Use plastic wrap to seal it well then chill it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. 

While the dough is chilling, set out a large bowl and dump in the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, and grated Parmesan. Sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper on top, then crack four eggs into the bowl as well. Use a spatula or large spoon to stir everything until it's combined. Then, add the diced ham, salami, and pepperoni and mix to distribute the meat.

After at least 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn your oven on to preheat at 350 F. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out ⅔ of the dough into a round shape. You'll need to fit it into the base of a 9-inch deep dish pie pan, so make sure to measure accordingly. 

Carefully lay the dough in the pie pan, lightly pressing down so that it sits against the sides of the dish. Next, layer the slices of prosciutto to cover the base. Then, add the cheese and meat filling, using a spatula to spread the top out evenly. 

Place the rest of the dough on the lightly floured surface and roll it into a similar size and round shape. Layer it on top of the filling as you press in the center and along the sides of the pan. Pinch the edges of the dough together with your fingers or crimp them with a fork to seal the pie.

Now, crack the last egg into a small bowl and whisk in 1 tablespoon of water. Use a pastry brush to coat the pie crust with the egg wash. Finally, slice a small X-shape in the middle of the pie. This will give the steam somewhere to exit as the pie bakes. 

The oven should be nice and hot by now, so transfer the pie dish to a rack and bake for 1 hour or until it turns a golden color.

After you remove the pie from the oven, let it cool down a bit before cutting into it. You can serve it still slightly warm or at room temperature. As Morone points out, "This is really a whole meal in just one pie, so you don't necessarily need to serve anything with it." If you want to keep it simple, follow her advice and "serve it with a salad and some wine."

Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days. When you're ready for another slice, Morone recommends reheating it "either in the microwave, or in the oven at 350 F for about 10 to 15 minutes until it is hot."