Entry #3397, April 14, 2014

Easter pie is a traditional dessert served in many Italian homes. Year after year, this food has embraced the heart of Easter. While recipes for this delicious treat vary greatly from region to region, these pies mostly share the three common ingredients-ricotta cheese, eggs, and orange zest.

Holiday Family Favorite: Italian Easter Pie

Traditional Italian Easter Pie

Image via: Stacey Snacks Online

Total Time: 1 hour + cooling

Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

Crust

1 ½ cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ cup butter

¼ cup shortening

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Filling

15 ounces ricotta cheese

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon lemon peel, grated

¼ teaspoon orange peel, grated

Pinch of salt

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1/3 cup chocolate chips, semi sweet or dark

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Procedure

1. In a bowl, mix flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Cut butter and shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles little crumbs.

2. Add eggs and stir the mixture until moistened and forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Lightly flour the surface and roll the dough to a 10 inch circle. Place it in a 9 inch pie plate. Crimp crust and refrigerate.

3. For filling, beat ricotta cheese, flour and sugar in a bowl. Add salt and peels to mixture. Beat until smooth.

4. In a separate bowl, beat eggs for about 5 minutes or until thick. Gently fold into filling mixture. Slowly add in remaining ingredients. Pour into the crust. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately one hour or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool and refrigerate.

Fun and delicious Easter treats are better if homemade. Double up the fun by involving your family in the making process and have a holiday to remember! We’d love to know if you have any other ingredients you would modify this Holiday Family Favorite: Italian Easter Pie Recipe with?

For more holiday food recipes on Stagetecture, click here.