Pizzagaina (Italian Easter Pie)
Pizzagaina is a savory Italian Easter pie filled with a mixture of meats, ricotta, and cheeses, baked in a golden, flaky pizza dough crust. It’s a flavorful, hearty dish that’s great for feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
- 3 lb Fresh or Frozen Pizza Dough
- 4 lb Ricotta whole milk cheese
- 1 lb shredded Fortuna’s Caciocavallo cheese
- 5 oz grated Fortuna’s Grana Padano Cheese
- 3 fresh eggs
- 12 sliced hard boiled eggs
- 3/4 lb cooked ham
- 1/2 lb Fortuna’s Pepperoni
- 3/4 lb Fortuna’s Sweet Coppa
- 1 lb thinly sliced Fortuna’s Sopressata
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make dough from flour, butter, olive oil, eggs, and water. Chill for 1 hour.
- Mix all filling ingredients (including meats, ricotta, cheeses, eggs, seasoning). Chill.
- Line greased springform pan with rolled dough. Fill with meat and cheese mixture.
- Cover with top crust, seal edges, brush with egg wash.
- Bake at 350°F for 1 hour 15 minutes until golden. Cool, slice, and serve.
- See full steps with tips & photos → https://p4pd.org/pizzagaina-italian-easter-pie-2/
Notes
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the dough and filling the day before and refrigerate them separately. Assemble and bake the pie on the day you plan to serve it.
- Freezer-Friendly: The pie can be frozen after baking. Allow it to cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Reheat in the oven before serving.