Easter Rice Pie Recipes

PASTIERA DI RISO (ITALIAN EASTER RICE PIE)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, and baking powder.
• Add eggs, egg yolks and butter. Mix on medium speed until large, moist crumbs start to form (about 2-3 minutes).
• Remove dough from the bowl and with your hands on a smooth surface, gently form the dough into a ball.
• Wrap the dough in saran wrap and place in the fridge for approximately 1 hour.
• Add the rice and water to a pot, and over medium heat, let them come to a boil.
• Once rice and water have started to boil, cook for 8 minutes, stirring often.
• At this point, add the milk, sugar, orange peel and cinnamon sticks.
• Still on medium heat, cook the rice mixture for 30 minutes, stirring often so that the rice doesn't stick to the pot, until the rice is cooked and most of the liquid has absorbed. If rice is cooking too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.
• At this point, remove the orange peel and cinnamon sticks.
• Turn heat down to low, add butter to the rice, and cook for 7-10 minutes until all the liquid has absorbed and the mixture is dense in consistency.
• Add the rice to a shallow square dish, level it out, and cover with saran wrap. Let it cool.
• If your ricotta is very moist and has a lot of liquid in it, drain it with a colander.
• In a big bowl, add ricotta, beaten eggs, fior d'arancio, and cinnamon. Mix with a wooden spoon or whisk until all ingredients are combined.
• Once the rice mixture has cooled completely, add it to the ricotta mixture, slowly, a few spoons at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon until the rice is fully incorporated into the mixture. Set the filling aside.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease your pie dish with butter, and then coat with a thin layer of flour.
• On a floured surface, roll out the dough a few times to soften it. Then roll it out until it's about 1/2 cm thick.
• Transfer the dough to the pie dish, and cut off any hanging edges. Fill with the filling.
• Decorate the top of the pastiera with a lattice design. The lattices should sit gently on top of the dough.
• Bake the pastiera for approximately 60 minutes, or until edges are golden. Let the pastiera cool and come to room temperature, top with powdered sugar if desired, and enjoy!

ITALIAN RICE PIE I

Steps:

• Beat eggs in very large bowl. Add sugar, mixing well. Stir in cheese and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add heavy cream and stir. Fold in cooked rice and crushed pineapple.
• Pour into a 9 x 13 inch buttered pan.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for one hour. Check by inserting clean knife into center. If the pie is done, knife will come out clean. Top should be golden brown. Refrigerate until thoroughly cooled.

ITALIAN EASTER RICE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees and line 2 9" Pie Pans with the crusts, refrigerate and reserve.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix the next 6 ingredients with a large spoon until thoroughly combined (no electric mixers here, it'll ruin the rice).
• Divide filling between 4 prepared pie crusts, sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Bake about 45 minutes or until filling is set in the middle (no longer giggling).
• Allow to cool completely before serving, this actually tastes best when refrigerated overnight.