Pizza rustica

Votes: 1

Time: 5 p.m.
Complexity: easily
Quantity: for a large company

Pizza rustica is completely different from the traditional pizza we're used to. It's a large, thick, closed pie filled with cheese and deli meats, typically baked in Italy for Easter. It's made with a yeast-free dough made with flour, eggs, and very cold butter for a crisp crust. The filling includes ricotta, Parmesan, provolone, and mozzarella cheeses, along with delicacies like ham, prosciutto, pepperoni, and salami—a truly delicious combination for the holiday. The pie takes a while to make, but you can bake it ahead of time and refrigerate it for 24 hours, then bring it to room temperature on the day of serving.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil + extra for greasing the pan
6 large eggs and 4 large yolks
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting (see Note)
220 g unsalted butter, frozen, coarsely grated
1/4 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan (about 40 g)
450 g whole milk ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 piece prosciutto (110g), cut into small cubes (about 3/4 cup)
1 170g piece cooked ham (not smoked), cut into small cubes (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 6-ounce piece pepperoni, diced finely (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 piece salami (170g), cut into small cubes (about 1 1/4 cups)
110 g provolone cheese, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup)
170 gr. grated mozzarella (about 1.5 tbsp.)
Special equipment: springform pan with a diameter of 22 cm.

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: premium flour, pepperoni sausage, salami, ricotta cheese, provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, ham, prosciutto

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and 3 whole eggs. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and frozen grated butter. Mix, pinching with your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until coarse crumbs form (they should be slightly larger than peas). Add 1/4 cup cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Knead the dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Form the dough into a large disk and divide it into two pieces: two-thirds for the bottom crust and one-third for the top crust. Form the dough into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, and then let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling it out.

In a small bowl, combine 1 egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water. Stir and set aside. Place the remaining 3 whole eggs and 3 yolks in a large bowl along with the Parmesan, ricotta, and some freshly grated black pepper. Stir until smooth. Add the prosciutto, ham, pepperoni, salami, provolone, and mozzarella and stir to distribute the ingredients evenly. Set aside.
Position the oven rack on the lowest shelf and preheat to 175°C. Lightly grease a 22cm springform pan with olive oil.
Roll out the larger piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 40cm (16in) round circle with a thickness of just under 0.3cm (1/4in). Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, pressing it into the bottom and sides, leaving an overhang. Spoon the ricotta mixture over the dough in the pan and spread it into an even layer.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining dough into a 12-inch (32 cm) circle and just under 1/4 inch (0.3 cm) thick. Place this dough over the filling, gently pressing it into the filling and up to the edges of the pan. Trim any excess dough flush with the top of the pan. Pinch the edges of the two dough layers together to seal, then fold them over the filling and into the pan. Brush the surface and edges of the dough with egg wash. Make four 2-inch (2 cm) slits in the surface of the dough, then place the pan on a baking sheet.
Bake until the crust is golden brown and a long wooden skewer inserted into one of the slits comes out clean, about 2 hours, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Let the pizza rest at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate until completely cooled, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, then remove the outer ring from the pan and transfer the pizza to a serving platter. Slice into wedges and serve.

Note

When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.