Best Pizza Gain Aka Pizzagaina Pizza Rustica Italian Easter Ham Pie Recipes

PIZZAGAINA

Pizzagaina image

Pizzagaina is Italian Easter pie. A very traditional savory dish that is a much-anticipated treat for Easter. It can be quite an undertaking to prepare, but I've got a simplified recipe here that the Italian Nonnis may curse me for but tastes great!

Provided by SMZCOZ

Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian

Time 1h15m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

4 unbaked 9-inch pie crusts, divided
2 (16 ounce) containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
¼ pound pepperoni
½ pound sweet capicola (coppa)
½ pound hot capicola (coppa)
1 egg white, slightly beaten

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Press 1 pie crust each into the bottom of two 9-inch pie pans.
Mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and eggs together in a large bowl. Roughly chop the pepperoni, sweet capicola and hot capicola; fold in chopped meats. Spoon half the mixture into each of the 2 prepared pie pans.
Top each pie with a pie crust, crimping the edges together creating a seal. Brush the top of each pie with egg white.
Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, 45 to 60 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 529.4 calories, Carbohydrate 22.5 g, Cholesterol 82.2 mg, Fat 40.1 g, Fiber 1.6 g, Protein 19.1 g, SaturatedFat 15 g, Sodium 804.1 mg, Sugar 0.4 g

PIZZA GAIN AKA PIZZAGAINA, PIZZA RUSTICA, ITALIAN EASTER HAM PIE

Pizza Gain Aka Pizzagaina, Pizza Rustica, Italian Easter Ham Pie image

This is my Grandmother's recipe for Pizza Gain (AKA PizzaGaina, Pizza Gaina, Pizza Rustica, Italian Easter Ham Pie, Italian Ham Pie, Easter Pizza, Pizza Chiena, etc.). There are many varieties out there depending on the region of Italy you are from. My family makes it in their traditional style from their village in Naples (Napoli) Italy. There are some areas that use sausage or hard boiled eggs, this one does not. This is also the recipe for a very large pie. I make it in my roasting pan without the rack in it. It is meant to be divied up & shared. I give a hunk to about 6 different people. The story, as its been told to me, is that during Lent & the 40 days of fasting... this Pizza Gaina was made by the Italian women on Good Friday as an abundance of meat & richness that was abstained during Lent. It was prepared, cooked, and chilled on Good Friday, but could not be cut & eaten before noon on Easter Saturday. Although some people serve it on Easter Sunday. Many Easter dishes were made in advance so the local Priest could come and Bless the prepared foods for the Feast of Easter. My family would all gather at my Grandparents house on Saturday & enjoy it together with our Aunts, Uncles, & cousins. It's a tradition that I'm glad to continue to keep those memories going. You can make your own pizza dough for this or purchase it. I sometime buy it at our local pizzeria. This is served chilled. When heated, becomes runny. Also, I cut up all the meats & mozzarella the night before so it's ready to go Friday. I also put a heat-proof oven liner on my bottom rack in case anything oozes out. * Want to specify almost everything is cubed or cut to little slices cubed... Also, please read the ingredients thoroughly, like the capicola is the HOT capicola, proscuittini isn't listed so I made the notation... etc. See photos for stages of preparation from start to finish Also, for ingredients, I was able to find all of the meats, fresh basket cheese, and fresh mozzarella at the deli-counter in my local supermarket and they are also found in Italian Specialty Shops or Deli's.

Provided by BlondieItaliana

Categories Savory Pies

Time 3h30m

Yield 28-32 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs ham (sliced thick from deli-counter or cubed pieces of boiled ham)
1/4 lb prosciutto (this is the regular proscuitto, next ingredient is as described, proscuittini)
1/4 lb prosciutto (PROSCUITTINI, AKA Pepper Ham, Black Peppered Ham or prozuttini)
1/4 lb capicola (HOT CAPICOLA, spiced-hot capicola )
1/4 lb hard salami
1/4 lb genoa salami
1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese
1 lb mozzarella cheese (1 entire brick of whole milk mozzarella, cubed)
1 lb Italian cheese (FRESH BASKET CHEESE, AKA Easter cheese or Farmer's Cheese)
3 lbs ricotta cheese
1 stick pepperoni (sliced)
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
15 eggs
4 lbs pizza dough

Steps:

Cube ham meat. Cut sliced meat by rolling & slicing or cutting with scissors. Cube mozzarella. In very large bowl, add ricotta & basket cheese. Add 15 eggs. Hand stir with whisk. Add 3 heaping tablespoons Grated cheese - then stir in the cubed meat and cheese.
Brush pan with oil then melted butter. Roll out & lay dough. Add cheese/meat mixture. Add top layer of dough and pinch bottom & top dough seams together tightly.
Brush top with oil then egg. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Make Easter Cross with large fork to vent. Bless.
Bake 375º x 10 min then 350º x 60 min then 325º x 30-45 minute.
Remove from oven. Brush top with melted butter. Cool 2-3 hours Turn upside down overnight on large board. Cover pizza tightly with paper towel, foil, & dish-towel. Refrigerate. Serve noon or later on Easter Saturday.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 313.6, Fat 21.1, SaturatedFat 10.9, Cholesterol 179.8, Sodium 1060.2, Carbohydrate 2.6, Sugar 0.6, Protein 27.1