Pizza Gaina is a Holy Saturday tradition in our family. My son Marty renamed it Easter Pie Saturday. Every year, my mom would bake Grain Pies on Holy Thursday. She would chop the meats and cheeses to prepare for the Pizza Gaina on Good Friday (making sure not to sample the meats). The Pizza Gaina was baked on Holy Saturday morning along with the Macaroni Pie. Of course, she also made the Easter egg bread and the black pepper taralli.
My mom visited 3 Churches on Holy Thursday (by bus) and attended the Stations of the Cross at our church on Good Friday. Not to mention, she worked as a seamstress every day going to and from work using public transportation. I don't know how she did it all.
When everything was baked, she would call my sister Annette, my brother Tommy and me to come pick up our Holy Saturday treats. We would arrive to pick up a huge brown paper bag filled with each of the pies and goodies. It was take out only. We took our goody bags home to share with our families. Since she also hosted Easter Sunday, she needed to take a well deserved break.
Pizza Gaina (Rustica) Pie
(Bake for 45 minutes at 350)Makes 2 Pies
Filling
12 Eggs
3 lb Ricotta Cheese
1/2 lb cubed Swiss or Provolone cheese (my mom used swiss)
4 links Italian sweet sausage links (optional)
1 lb cubed ham
1 lb cubed mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 lb cubed pepperoni
1/2 lb cubed soppresatta or salami
1/4 lb cubed prosciutto
In a small pan, saute sausage meat (removed from casing).
Cut meats and cheeses into 1/4" cubes.
In a large mixing bowl. beat eggs, add ricotta and parmesan grated cheese. Mix well.
Add cut up cheeses, ham, pepperoni, soppressata, prosciutto & sauteed sausage meat.
Pie Crust
2 packages of dry yeast diluted in 1 cup warm water
6 cups flour
2 sticks margarine softened
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 eggs
Whisk eggs with yeast water.
Slice up softened margarine into a large bowl
Add flour, and salt and pepper. Mix until crumbly.
Add whisked eggs and yeast water a little at a time.
Mix and knead until a soft dough forms. Add additional flour if necessary.
Form 4 balls. Cover. Knead and let rise. Punch down and let rise again.
Roll out one ball of dough and place in a baking pan greased with olive oil
Prick holes in the bottom crust.
Using half of the cut up meats, cheeses and ricotta mixture, fill pan.
Roll out another ball of dough for top. Place over filling, crimp ends and put several slits on top for steam to escape. Bake until knife come out clean when pierced.
Repeat for second pie.
Brush egg wash on top crust of pies before baking if desired.
Cut meats and cheeses into 1/4" cubes.
In a large mixing bowl. beat eggs, add ricotta and parmesan grated cheese. Mix well.
Add cut up cheeses, ham, pepperoni, soppressata, prosciutto & sauteed sausage meat.
Pie Crust
2 packages of dry yeast diluted in 1 cup warm water
6 cups flour
2 sticks margarine softened
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 eggs
Whisk eggs with yeast water.
Slice up softened margarine into a large bowl
Add flour, and salt and pepper. Mix until crumbly.
Add whisked eggs and yeast water a little at a time.
Mix and knead until a soft dough forms. Add additional flour if necessary.
Form 4 balls. Cover. Knead and let rise. Punch down and let rise again.
Roll out one ball of dough and place in a baking pan greased with olive oil
Prick holes in the bottom crust.
Using half of the cut up meats, cheeses and ricotta mixture, fill pan.
Roll out another ball of dough for top. Place over filling, crimp ends and put several slits on top for steam to escape. Bake until knife come out clean when pierced.
Repeat for second pie.
Brush egg wash on top crust of pies before baking if desired.
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