Italian Easter Pie Ricotta Salami (Printable)

Savory Italian pastry filled with ricotta, salami, parmesan, and mozzarella for festive occasions.

# Components:

→ Pastry

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 2-3 tablespoons cold water

→ Filling

06 - 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese, well drained
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
10 - 1 1/2 cups diced Italian salami
11 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ To Finish

16 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch springform or deep pie pan with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add eggs and enough cold water to form a soft dough. Knead briefly, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes.
03 - Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and line the prepared pan, allowing excess to overhang the edges.
04 - In a large bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, heavy cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano, mozzarella, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in diced salami until evenly distributed.
05 - Pour filling into the pastry-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
06 - Roll out remaining pastry and cut into strips. Arrange strips in a lattice pattern over the filling. Trim and crimp edges to seal.
07 - Brush lattice and edges with beaten egg using a pastry brush.
08 - Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until golden and set. If the crust browns too quickly, cover edges loosely with foil.
09 - Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, but the hands-on time is surprisingly short and mostly forgiving.
  • The creamy, salty filling hits different when you serve it warm versus the next day cold straight from the fridge.
  • This is the kind of dish that makes people ask for the recipe before they've even finished eating.
  • It travels beautifully, making it perfect for potlucks, picnics, or holiday tables.
02 -
  • Draining your ricotta is not optional—wet ricotta will make your filling watery and your pastry soggy, which I learned the hard way and my crust learned harder.
  • If you're tempted to skip the 20-minute chill time for the pastry, don't; that rest is what keeps your dough from shrinking dramatically as it bakes.
  • The filling will still jiggle slightly in the very center when you pull it from the oven, and that's exactly right—carryover cooking will firm it up perfectly as it cools.
03 -
  • Keep your pastry ingredients cold from start to finish—use a food processor if your hands run warm, since it keeps everything cool and blends the butter in without warming it from handling.
  • If your filling seems too wet after mixing, drain it through cheesecloth for another 10 minutes; this small adjustment prevents a soggy crust and gives you cleaner slices.
  • The pie is forgiving about oven temperature variation, but knowing your specific oven matters—if yours runs hot, start checking at 50 minutes rather than waiting the full 55.
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