Authentic Pizza Rustica Recipe - Italian Easter Pie

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 cup very cold butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 4 tablespoons cold water, or more as needed
• 1 (16 ounce) container ricotta cheese, drained
• 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cubed
• 2 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 7 large eggs, beaten
• 0.75 pound cooked, crumbled Italian sausage
• 0.25 pound smoked ham, cubed
• 0.25 pound salami, cubed
• 0.25 pound pepperoni slices, cut into strips
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

1. To prepare the crust: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, butter, and olive oil. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to blend the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour in the egg, and mix with a fork for about 1 minute until the egg is incorporated. Add cold water and briefly mix with a fork. Then, use your hands to press the mixture into a ball. If the dough seems dry, gradually add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it comes together.
2. Transfer the dough to a work surface and press it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to rest.
3. While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine drained ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Pecorino Romano cheese, salt, black pepper, beaten eggs, cooked Italian sausage, smoked ham, salami, and pepperoni. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined; don't worry about overmixing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and dust it with flour.
5. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut off 1/3 of the dough and set it aside for the top crust. Roll out the remaining dough for the bottom crust, using only as much flour as necessary, into a 15-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the prepared pan. Gently tuck the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, being careful not to stretch it. Remove any excess dough, dampen it with water, and use it to fill in any gaps.
6. Transfer the filling into the prepared pan, pressing firmly into the edges to avoid air pockets. Smooth out the top evenly.
7. Roll the remaining dough into a circle slightly larger than the pan. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the pan. Position the top crust carefully and press to seal it with the side edges.
8. In a small bowl, mix the egg and water to create the egg wash.
9. Brush the egg wash on top of the dough to moisten the entire surface. Trim off any excess dough if desired. Fold the side dough down from the pan edges onto the top crust and crimp the edges with your fingertips until fully sealed. Brush once more with the egg wash.
10. Place the pie in the center of the preheated oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake until the top crust is a beautiful golden brown color, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
11. Remove the pizza rustica from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the ring from the springform pan and let it cool for another 15 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 767 kcal
• Fat Content: 51 g
• Fiber Content: 1 g
• Sugar Content: 1 g
• Sodium Content: 1817 mg
• Protein Content: 40 g
• Cholesterol Content: 332 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 36 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 23 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g