ITALIAN EASTER PIE (PIZZA CHENA)

Italian Easter Pie (Pizza Chena) image

An Italian recipe that's made with love and takes a little longer to prepare, but the end result is worth every minute. The outcome is a beautiful and delicious Pizza Chena. This looks intimidating but it's not hard to make. We opted to make the traditional dough when testing. It's similar in texture and taste to pizza dough and...

Provided by Joanne Bellezza-Loughlin

Time 3h15m

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

DOUGH
ok, I cannot tell a lie...I used Pillsbury ready pie crust to save time. But by all means feel free to make your own.
1 packet of active dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 c warm water
5-6 c all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
FILLING
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage (or hot if you prefer) removed from the casing
3 eggs, beaten
2 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1 lb ricotta cheese
1/3 lb fresh mozzarella, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 c grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 lb prosciutto (or American ham if you prefer), sliced and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 lb genoa salami, sliced and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 lb pepperoni, sliced and cut into 1 inch pieces
parsley flakes and pepper, to taste (you can add a little salt, to taste but remember the meats are salty so don't add too much salt)
1 egg yolk for egg wash

Steps:

1. For the dough... In a large bowl, dissolve in two cups of water, yeast, sugar, and salt and gently blend.
2. After the yeast has dissolved, add 5 cups of flour and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Blend with a spoon until the dough starts to form.
3. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for about 5 to 10 minutes. (Add additional flour if the dough is too sticky.)
4. Place dough in a large bowl and coat with a little olive oil. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.
5. While the dough is rising, start to prep your ingredients by cutting meats and grating cheese. Brown the sausage breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
6. In a large bowl, add the three beaten eggs, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, chopped eggs, meats, and seasonings. Mix well and set aside.
7. After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into two pieces.
8. Roll out one piece of the dough.
9. Place the rolled out dough in a 10-inch springform pan sprayed with Pam. The dough should hang about an inch over the sides.
10. Pour the filling into the pastry crust - mine filled to about an inch from the top.
11. Roll the second piece of the dough and place the round crust on top of the filling. Cutaway any excess dough.
12. Crimp around the edges - I used a fork. Cut two strips of leftover dough to make a cross. Place the dough cross on top of the Pizza Chena. Cut slits in dough to vent.
13. Beat the egg yolk and brush on top of the Pizza Chena.
14. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 - 75 minutes.
15. Bake until golden brown and let cool. NOTE: Pizza Chena is best when made a day or two ahead of time. Let it cool and then store in the fridge. Bring to room temp before serving!