When my mother married my father, she learned how to cook some Old World recipes which had been brought over from Italy with my great grandmother Lucy. Lucy was a young teenage girl when she came to Ellis Island after the turn of the century. She married my great grandfather Giovanni (John) Giangola when she was 16 and he was 26.
Every Easter, this pie (along with a sweet ricotta pie) was cooked. It would not be Easter without it. My mother always made this, as well. It was called Pizza Gain by Lucy, but it is also known as Pastiera, Pizza Piena (stuffed pie), pizzachino, or Pizza Rustico. It is heavy, rich, but high in protein. A thin slice could sustain you throughout the day (and a leftover slice for breakfast is delicious!) After the Catholic Lent, this pie was an essential part of the celebration which incurred following the fasting.
As with most of the family recipes I inherited, the measurements are never recorded precisely. It ends up being an intuitive thing. It is how these women cooked. This style of cooking does not work well for most of today's cooks, so I will record the exact amount of everything I used. Just know, if you are adventurous, the types or amounts of meats and cheeses can vary, but the crust should be followed accurately, as well as the amount of eggs and ricotta.
Pizza Gain
Crust (you can use prepared pie crust instead, but this is a little more rustic and the texture is different, it is not meant to look refined)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (I omitted due to using salted butter)
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
Mix crust ingredients and roll two crusts adding extra flour if it is sticky
Filling
1 1/2 lb ricotta
6 eggs
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 tsp. parsley
8 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
Mix these ingredients together.
8 oz. salami
8 oz. sopressatta
8 oz. pepperoni
8 oz. sliced mozzerella
8 oz. sliced provolone (I used asiago this time and no pepperoni)
Lay down one of the crusts in a large pie pan (I used a cake pan because it needs to be 2-3 inches high). Layer the meat, some ricotta, then sliced cheese. Repeat until you reach the top, (atleast a total of three layers) then cover the top with a rolled out crust. Oven 325 for 45 minutes to an hour. Golden brown crust and a knife comes out clean. You may have leftover meat, it is okay if you use a little less or more than above, or if you use other Italian meats or even ham. This was served cold from the refrigerator. After the first day, the flavors of the meats seep through the whole pie. I am going to see how many days it lasts though. Three kids, two of them teenage boys (well, one is 12) and a slice of this is a great snack for them anytime of day. Super breakfast too.
My husband gave me the encouragement I needed to attempt this. It was the first time I am trying this recipe.
Smells amazing....
(See original recipe below)
Enjoy!
Every Easter, this pie (along with a sweet ricotta pie) was cooked. It would not be Easter without it. My mother always made this, as well. It was called Pizza Gain by Lucy, but it is also known as Pastiera, Pizza Piena (stuffed pie), pizzachino, or Pizza Rustico. It is heavy, rich, but high in protein. A thin slice could sustain you throughout the day (and a leftover slice for breakfast is delicious!) After the Catholic Lent, this pie was an essential part of the celebration which incurred following the fasting.
As with most of the family recipes I inherited, the measurements are never recorded precisely. It ends up being an intuitive thing. It is how these women cooked. This style of cooking does not work well for most of today's cooks, so I will record the exact amount of everything I used. Just know, if you are adventurous, the types or amounts of meats and cheeses can vary, but the crust should be followed accurately, as well as the amount of eggs and ricotta.
Pizza Gain
Crust (you can use prepared pie crust instead, but this is a little more rustic and the texture is different, it is not meant to look refined)1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (I omitted due to using salted butter)
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
Mix crust ingredients and roll two crusts adding extra flour if it is sticky
Filling
1 1/2 lb ricotta
6 eggs
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 tsp. parsley
8 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
Mix these ingredients together.
8 oz. salami
8 oz. sopressatta
8 oz. pepperoni
8 oz. sliced mozzerella
8 oz. sliced provolone (I used asiago this time and no pepperoni)
Lay down one of the crusts in a large pie pan (I used a cake pan because it needs to be 2-3 inches high). Layer the meat, some ricotta, then sliced cheese. Repeat until you reach the top, (atleast a total of three layers) then cover the top with a rolled out crust. Oven 325 for 45 minutes to an hour. Golden brown crust and a knife comes out clean. You may have leftover meat, it is okay if you use a little less or more than above, or if you use other Italian meats or even ham. This was served cold from the refrigerator. After the first day, the flavors of the meats seep through the whole pie. I am going to see how many days it lasts though. Three kids, two of them teenage boys (well, one is 12) and a slice of this is a great snack for them anytime of day. Super breakfast too.
