Recipes

This Pizza Rustica Satisfies Everyone at the Table

Pizza rustica is one distinct breakfast meal that can take your Sunday gathering to new levels.

This towering pie has both characteristics of a quiche and a charcuterie board thus making it perfect for any occasion.

With its rich egg custard, three flavorful cured meats, and blend of cheeses pizza rustica will unquestionably astonish your guests.

What’s in pizza rustica?

This delicious dish requires twelve eggs for the custardy filling and ricotta as well as Parmesan cheese to give it richness and taste.

Provolone piccante, aged for extra depth of taste, adds a distinctively bold note to the mix. In terms of meat content, soppressata, smoked ham, and prosciutto create an orchestra of flavorsome tastes. You may use Italian sausage or capicola among other different meats here if you wish.

What about the crust for pizza rustica?

The dough utilized for pizza rustica is made from simple all-butter pie crust which is enhanced with some eggs and apple cider vinegar to promote its elasticity.

Whether you prefer kneading manually or using food processing machine the output should be a brownish crispy shell that compliments the dainty contents inside.

RELATED: 10 Essential Cooking Tips for Kitchen Newbies

What about the pan?

The 9-inch springform pan used ensures that the sides are high enough to hold in fillings generously without overflowing.

After baking fully let the entire pie cool still in its pan before slicing neat even pieces from it.

Outside serving cold or at room temperature after refrigeration also you can heat slices up in oven again when warmed through.

YIELDS: 8 – 10 servings
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours

Ingredients:

FOR THE CRUST:
  • 3 and a half cups all-purpose flour,
  • 1 and a half teaspoon of kosher salt,
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar,
  • 1 and a quarter cup unsalted butter, cubed and chilled,
  • 2 large, whole eggs.
  • Four tablespoons ice water (with more as needed),
  • A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
FOR THE FILLING:
  • 10 big eggs (separated into whites and yolks)
  • 1 (15-ounce) pack of whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (and 1/4 cup more)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper powder
  • 6 ounces hot provolone cheese
  • ¼ pound soppressata salami, sliced thinly
  • A quarter-pound thinly sliced smoked ham
  • A quarter pound thinly sliced prosciutto meat.
  • ½ cup freshly cut Italian parsley

Directions:

  1. For the crust: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Use a pastry cutter or fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture until there are dime-sized pieces remaining. In a small bowl, beat together eggs, ice water and apple cider vinegar. Gradually add this mixture to the flour 1 tbsp. at a time, stirring gently after each addition. Mix until everything is combined and pinching it with your fingers makes it stay together. Add an extra tablespoon of ice water if the dough is too dry.
  2. Turn out on a floured surface and knead 4-5 times to combine. Divide in half, one being ⅔ of dough; another one third remaining dough. Flatten each one into disk shapes having minimal cracks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap; refrigerate for up to two days or for an hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  4. Remove bigger disk of pie dough from refrigerator; let stand for about fifteen minutes or so that it becomes soft enough for rolling. On a lightly floured surface roll out the pie dough into sixteen inch round.Transfer crust to nine-inch springform pan by pressing dough on bottom sides. Trim excess until dough lines top pan edge. Refrigerate twenty minutes while making filling.
  5. For the filling: In a big bowl, mix together 9 eggs, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan, garlic powder and pepper until eggs are combined with the mixture.
  6. Cube provolone piccante, soppressata salami, smoked ham and prosciutto until they resemble half inch pieces. Gradually add to the filling provolone piccante, soppressata salami, smoked ham ,prosciutto and parsley.Add this filling to your pie crust that is already cooled.
  7. Roll out remaining dough disk into ten inch rounds on a floured surface. Rest dough overfilling carefully; fold overhanging from bottom crust onto top crust; seal by pinching few slits about an inch long in the top crust.
  8. In a small dish beat egg-white layer; apply egg wash to crust.Place pan on baking sheet.
  9. Bake for about one hour fifteen minutes to one hour twenty five minutes or until golden brown and deep-ish inside when toothpick is inserted in center of it after seventy five minutes sprinkle rest of 1/4cup parmesan over top of your pie
  10. Place on wire rack; cool for two hours before refrigeration or further serving.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make the crust ahead of time?

Yes, you can pre-make pizza rustica’s dough up to two days earlier then use as dough in assembling them.

Can I freeze the assembled pizza rustica?

Yes, it is possible to freeze an assembled pizza rustica. So, before baking, wrap it tightly in cling film and foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Prior to baking in line with the recipe instructions thaw overnight in a refrigerator when ready.

Can I use different types of cheese and meat?

Yes you can! Feel free to make adjustments to your filling by trying out different cheeses or meats that you like. You may want to try other combinations according to your taste buds.

How should I store leftovers?

Keep leftover pizza rustica refrigerated; put it inside airtight containers which will last for about 3-4 days. Reheat it by putting individual slices on microwave-safe dish and warm through.

Can I substitute the all-purpose flour with another type of flour?

You may also substitute all-purpose flour for another kind of flour such as wheat or gluten-free flours though this recipe does best with all-purpose flour only. It should be noted that texture and taste might slightly differ.

Can I omit the meat to make it vegetarian?

Certainly, you can remove meat from pizza rustica so that a vegetable filled variety is produced instead but either increase amount of cheese or add favorite vegetables into the mixture.

Can I use pre-made pie crust instead of making it from scratch?

Surely enough, if preferred, one can go for ready-made pie crusts from the stores as long as they are followed up with blind baking or pre-baking according to instructions given on their packages before adding ingredients.

Can I use a different type of pan if I don’t have a springform pan?

However springform pans work best with Pizza Rustica, you can still use either regular pie dishes or deep-layer cake tins instead . At any rate remember greasing well as this would determine how longer time will take to bake.

Can I serve pizza rustica warm instead of cold?

Pizza Russica is mainly served when chilled or at room temperature, but can be eaten hot if desired. First let it cool for a while, slice and serve.

Can I make mini versions of pizza rustica?

Yes, you can make several smaller versions of the pizza rustica by using small tart pans or muffin tins and adjust the time they take to bake according to their sizes.