Geraldine Ferraros Easter Pie Food

EASTER PIE

Steps:

• Blend 3/4 cup of powdered sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the rice and pine nuts. Set the ricotta mixture aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lightly butter a 9-inch glass pie dish. Lay 1 phyllo sheet over the bottom and up the sides of the dish, allowing the phyllo to hang over the sides. Brush the phyllo with the melted butter. Top with a second sheet of phyllo dough, laying it in the opposite direction as the first phyllo sheet. Continue layering the remaining sheets of phyllo sheets, alternating after each layer and buttering each sheet. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dish. Fold the overhanging phyllo dough over the top of the filling to enclose it completely. Brush completely with melted butter.
• Bake the pie until the phyllo is golden brown and the filling is set, about 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool completely. Sift powdered sugar over the pie and serve.

GERALDINE FERRARO'S EASTER PIE

Steps:

• Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and pepper on a wooden or marble surface.
• Make a well in center of the flour mixture and break three eggs into it. Incorporate the eggs into the flour, then add the remaining eggs. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Cover loosely with a damp towel and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
• To make pies: Cut dough in half and set one portion aside. Cut remaining half so that one part is slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger portion into a circle that is less than 1/8-inch thick and large enough to fill and overlap the edges of a 9-inch pie plate. Avoid getting thin spots that may allow the filling to break through.
• Place the dough in the pie plate. Smooth half of the filling on top of it. Roll out the smaller dough portion and place it on top. Trim the excess dough, leaving enough to seal and crimp the edges.
• Repeat with remaining dough and filling to make the second pie. Brush the tops of the pies with a little water. Cut slits in the tops.
• Bake pies for about 50 minutes in the center of the oven, until the tops are brown. Remove from oven and cool completely. Pies may be served at room temperature or refrigerated and served the next day.

ITALIAN EASTER PIE

Steps:

• To make the dough, use a food processor for the best results.
• Place flour into processor bowl.
• add salt, milk and shortening, pulsing the flour until it resembles small peas.
• Process add one egg at a time, and continue to mix until dough becomes a ball.
• If mix is too dry, add a teaspoon of water, a little at a time, until dough holds together.
• Remove from processor, knead lightly by hand just to shape into two balls.
• Chill dough for 30 minutes.
• On a floured board, roll out dough, one ball at a time, 1/8-inch thick into a circle to fit a 9" round glass baking dish.
• Bring the dough up the sides of the dish and begin to layer the filling ingredients.
• In the processor or blender add eggs, romano cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Set this aside.
• Filling: Place quartered boiled eggs an inch apart on the bottom of the baking dish on the dough for the first layer.
• Second layer fills in the space between the eggs by adding, cheeses, hams, and sausage.
• Alternating to make the filling distribution uniform.
• Ladle a 1/4 cup of the blended egg mixture on top of the second layer.
• Begin again layering the hard boiled quartered eggs, meat, cheeses, etc.
• until all ingredients are gone.
• Top off with the remaining blended egg mixture.
• Roll out the second ball of dough and cover the contents of the pie.
• Cut a steamhole in the top and crimp the outer edges sealing tightly.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook for 1 hour or until pie crust is golden brown and contents are bubbly.
• Cool and serve warm.
• Reheat in micro for leftovers.
• Makes two 9-inch pies.