Italian Easter Pie

Carrie2 Comments

A few years ago, I made an Easter pie or what the Italian’s call a pizzagaina. It was a lot of work but well worth it in the end. I do not have any Italian in me but I would like to make this a tradition for my family in the future. It is a great dish to add to your brunch menu on Easter. Think about giving it a try next year and let me know if you have a different recipe for one worth trying. I must admit that I am not an expert when it comes to Italian cooking but I sure do appreciate it!

Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs ham (sliced thick from deli-counter or cubed pieces of boiled ham)
1/4 lb prosciutto
1/4 lb pepper ham
1/4 lb capicola
1/2 lb salami
1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese
1 lb mozzarella cheese (1 entire brick of whole milk mozzarella, cubed)
1 lb Farmer’s cheese
3 lbs ricotta cheese
1 stick pepperoni (sliced)
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
15 eggs
4 lbs pizza dough

Directions:

Cube ham meat. Cut sliced meat by rolling & slicing or cutting with scissors. Cube mozzarella. In very large bowl, add ricotta & farmer’s cheese. Add 15 eggs. Stir with whisk. Add 3 heaping tablespoons Grated cheese. 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.

Bake 350 for about 90 minutes. To check if it is done, stick a knife in the center and see if it comes out hot.

Remove from oven. Brush top with melted butter. Cool 2-3 hours and then refrigerate. Serve on Easter.

Passover Treats

Sadie1 Comment

I have two key recipes for Passover: Macaroons and Chocolate Toffee Matzo (aka Matzo Crack).  I’m not usually tasked with cooking any of the main dishes for the seder, so as usual, I stick with dessert.  If you have any experience with the Kosher for Passover display at the grocery store, you might be aware of the coconut macaroons that come in a can.  I don’t know why these cookies come in a can, it doesn’t make sense to me.  The reason they are Kosher for Passover is because they have no leavening agent.  Coconut Macaroons are essentially coconut with some sugar and a binding agent (egg).  They don’t have a lot of the other traditional cookie ingredients.

The problem with the macaroons that come in the can (and most Kosher for Passover food) is that they are extreemly dense.  Make your own, it makes a tremendous difference!

Coconut Macaroons

from Bon Appetit

Yields about 45 1 inch cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • dash salt
  • 2 tsp orange peel zest
  • 3 eggs
  • 24 oz. coconut
  • 6 oz. chocolate (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Beat room temperature butter with mixer until smooth.  Add sugar and salt, use mixer to combine.
  3. Add zest and eggs one at a time.  When ingredients are combined, add coconut and mix so coconut is well incorporated.
  4. Drop batter in 1 inch portions onto parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake 25-30 minutes until pieces of the coconut are golden brown.
  5. After cookies have cooled you can melt the chocolate and drizzle it over the macaroons (I opted out of the chocolate this year, but I do recommend it).

This next recipe is the perfect solution for the inevitable leftover matzo.  Beware, it’s addictive.

Chocolate Toffee Matzo

From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

  • 4-6 sheets of Matzo
  • 2 sticks of butter
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 12 oz. chocolate chips
  • Nuts for topping

Methods

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment then matzo.
  2. Melt butter in saucepan on stove.  Add brown sugar to butter.  Stir so the sugar dissolves.  Allow the mixture to bubble and simmer until it starts pulling away from the sides of the pot.
  3. Pour hot toffee evenly over the matzo.  Bake in oven about 20 minutes.  It should bubble and get deep brown, but do not let it burn.
  4. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Allow chips to melt and use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate evenly across the toffee covered matzo.  Sprinkle desired nuts or other toppings and allow to cool.  (I usually let it cool for a bit on the counter then move it to the freezer)
  5. Break apart into manageable pieces and enjoy!

Down by the sea…

CarrieLeave a comment

This is not the blog I expected to write today. Today, my grandmother passed away. My grandmother was a woman who marched to the beat of her own drum. She taught me many things in life but the most important thing was that you should always be true to who you are. She never let anyone tell her what to do. I will always remember our days at the beach and our ride home from the beach listening to Al Alberts. Here’s to you grandma…I know you are happy up there with pop-pop.

“Down by the sea, by the beautiful sea…you and I, oh how happy we’ll be.”