Italian Easter Pie
Italian Easter Pie is rich and creamy, filled with ricotta and a rice pudding like filling. Hints of vanilla and lemon round out the flavors.
Equipment
- 10 inch pie plate
- hand mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry cutter or two forks
- Medium sauce pan
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter chilled
- 1 egg
- 2-3 tbsp ice water or more if needed
Filling
- 1/2 cup uncooked rice River Rice
- 4 cups milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and zest of a lemon
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 pound ricotta cheese
Instructions
Crust
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut the chilled butter into chunks and add to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to chop the butter until it resembles little peas.
- Add the eggs and ice water, and stir with a spoon until a dough begins to form.
- Using your hands, knead the dough until it begins to form and hold together. Handle the dough as little as possible.
- Form the dough into a ball and then flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic, and chill while preparing the filling.
Filling
- To make the filling, place the rice, milk and sugar in medium saucepan. Stir together and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 45-50 minutes or until the milk is absorbed and resembles a thick pudding. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and zest until smooth and creamy. Add the ricotta and beat on low until combined.
- Add the rice mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until combined. Place in the refrigerator.
Assembling/Baking the Pie
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Coat pie plate with baking spray with flour.
- Lightly flour a work surface and roll dough into an 11-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the prepared pie plate. Press the dough down into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. You don't need to flute the edges as the crust should be flush with the filling.
- Place the pie plate into the freezer for 15 minutes to ensure a flaky crust.
- Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the filling into the crust, about a ¾ of the way up. Filling should be about a ¼ from the top edge. As the filling cooks, it will puff up.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until pie is set. Filling should not be jiggly when moved from side to side. Continue to cook for 5 minutes at a time until pie is set.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature. Sprinkle powdered sugar on the top. Add whipped cream if desired.
- Enjoy!
- Cover and refrigerate leftovers for 3-5 days.
Notes
There may be leftover pie filling and crust. Gather up any leftover crust and place in a small pie plate/ramekin sprayed with baking spray with flour. Pour leftover filling over the crust.
If there is not leftover crust, simply pour into a small pie plate or ramekin and follow the same baking instructions.
