Mangia Bene Pasta
Easter Recipes
PIZZA CHENA
(Serves 10-12)
Dough:
1 tablespoon dry yeast
2-1/2 cups water (110-115 degrees F.), divided
5-6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Filling:
1 pound mozzarella, sliced
1 pound provolone, sliced
1/2 pound ham, sliced
1/2 pound salami, sliced
1/2 pound capocollo, sliced
6 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
In a bowl, combine the yeast with 1 cup of water.
Let sit until foamy, about 7-8 minutes.
Stir in the remaining water.
In another bowl, combine 5 cups of flour with salt.
Add the yeast mixture and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Mix to form a smooth dough.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, adding flour as necessary.
Grease a large bowl. Put the dough in the bowl and turn to coat.
Cover and let rise until double in volume, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease a 15 x 13-inch baking dish or 10-inch round springform pan with the remaining olive oil.
Punch down the dough and divide into 2 pieces, one a little larger than the other.
Roll the larger piece into a rectangular or round shape about 6-inches larger than the baking pan.
Fit the piece of dough in the pan, covering the bottom and sides with a slight overhang.
Fill the baking pan with alternating layers of the sliced meat and cheese.
You should have at least 10 layers. (See note below)
In a bowl, combine the eggs, Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper.
Pour over the layers in the baking pan.
Roll out the remaining piece of dough slightly larger than the pan.
Place the dough over the filling.
Pinch the edges together to seal and roll the seam under itself.
Brush the top with the egg wash.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove form the oven and allow to cool completely.
Cut into squares or wedges to serve.
*Pizza Chena will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.
It is best served at room temperature.
Note:
If you are using cubes of meat and cheese instead of slices, combine the 6 eggs,
Parmesan cheese, parsley and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the cubes of meat
and cheese to combine and then pour the mixture into the dough-lined pan. Place the top
layer of dough over the filling and proceed in the same manner as above.
BOLOGNESE RICE CAKE
(Makes one 10-inch round cake)
3 cups milk
3/4 cup Arborio rice
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room
temperature
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons rum
Confectioner's sugar for dusting
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer.
Add the rice, cover and reduce the heat to low.
Cook for about 30 minutes or until the mixture is very soft and creamy.
Stir often to prevent sticking. Remove from heat and cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 10-inch round cake pan.
Stir the eggs into the rice. Add sugar, nuts, raisins, butter, and zest.
Pour in the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and pierce the cake in several places with a fork.
Pour the rum over the cake.
Cool to lukewarm and unmold to a serving dish.
Before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.
PASTA RUSTICA
Pasta with Sausage and Four Cheeses
(Serves 6-8)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 pound ziti or penne pasta
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup fontina cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onions and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Add the sausage.
With a wooden spoon, break the sausage up into small chunks.
Cook about 5 minutes and the sausage starts to brown.
Add basil, oregano, pepper flakes, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pregeat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 13x15-inch baking dish.
Cook the pasta until al dente, 10-12 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and fontina.
Gently stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
Spread in the prepared baking pan and top with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 3o minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top begins to get crusty.
Serve hot.
FIADONE/RICOTTA PIE
(Serves 8)
Filling:
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 (8-inch) unbaked pie crust
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Line a large strainer with a paper towel.
Put the ricotta in the strainer and allow it for drain for 1 hour.
Discard liquid.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and egg yolks.
Whisk in the sugar, ricotta, lemon juice and zest.
Whisk until the mixture is well blended.
Stir in the raisins.
Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
Bake 45 - 50 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is set.
The filling will be yellow and should not brown.
Remove and allow to cool before serving.
Serve at room temperature dusted with confectioners' sugar.
PARDULAS OR FORMAGELLE
Pastry Dough:
3 tablespoons sugar
1-3/4 cups flour
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons egg whites
Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl.
Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture.
Add the juice and egg whites. Mix until you have a smooth dough.
Filling:
9 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3-1/2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of saffron
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 egg yolk
Press the ricotta through a strainer into a large bowl.
Sift the confectioners' sugar into the ricotta.
Add the flour, baking powder, saffron, zests, and yolk.
Mix until smooth.
To shape the Pardulas:
On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry dough about 1/8-inch thick.
Use a 3-inch cookie cutter to cut out circles.
Using a teaspoon, place a walnut-size scoop of filling in the center of each dough circle.
Moisten the edge of the dough with water.
Gather up the dough around the filling, leaving the filling exposed.
Pinch the dough at 6-8 equidistant points so the pastry looks like a sun,
Pinch the points firmly so they don't separate during baking.
Place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Baking:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake the pardulas for about 18 minutes.
The center will be not quite firm but the crust will be lightly browned.
Cool slightly and dust with confectioners' sugar
Easter Egg Bread
(Makes 2 loaves)
Dough:
1 envelope (2-1/2 teaspoons) dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)
3 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup warm milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
5 to 5-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 whole uncooked eggs, colored if desired
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Colored sprinkles
To make the dough:
In a small cup, combine the yeast with the warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes.
Stir to dissolve.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Beat in the sugar. Stir in the butter, milk, vanilla, and orange zest.
Stir in the yeast mixture.
Add 5 cups of the flour and the salt. Stir until a soft dough forms.
Add enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth dough.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or two until very smooth.
Shape the dough into a ball. Place in a buttered bowl.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in volume, about 1-1/2 hours.
Butter 2 baking sheets.
Punch down the dough and cut into 4 pieces. With your hands, roll one piece into a rope about 20 inches long.
Repeat with another piece of dough. Lay the ropes side by side and loosely twist them together.
Place the ropes onto the prepared baking sheet. Bring the ends together to form a ring. Pinch the ends to seal.
Place 3 eggs at intervals around the wreath, tucking them in between the ropes of the dough.
Repeat with the remaining dough and eggs. Cover and let rise about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brush the egg wash over the dough. Scatter the colored sprinkles on top.
Bake the loaves for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the bread to wire racks to cool completely.
NOTE: The dye on the eggs may bleed a little onto your bread. Also note that this recipes calls for uncooked eggs
to be placed into the dough. I have used both hard-boiled and uncooked eggs and find that they both work fine.
The hard-boiled eggs may get a little more cooked than usual but they are still edible.
This page contains recipes for:
Pizza Chena
Bolognese Rice Cake
Pasta Rustica
Fiadone - Ricotta Pie
Pardulas or Formagelle
Easter Egg Bread