TORTA DELLA UOVO E CARNE
Torta Della Uovo e Carne (or, ‘Egg and Meat Pie’) is inspired by my Mum Mum Mary’s take on Torta Pasqualina, otherwise known as Easter Pie.
Traditionally eaten on the day of his Savior’s resurrection to mark the end of Lent, specifically amongst Roman Catholics, this savory pie – which includes greens, meat, cheese and hard-boiled eggs in ricotta custard, baked in a thick crust – originated from Liguria, Italy before gaining popularity throughout the Italian peninsula. Numerous adaptations of Easter Pie followed to reflect region; the most notable, meat and cheese, or, Pizza Giana as it’s called – which my Mum Mum’s recipe favors. And I say recipe figuratively.
As it was, Mum Mum, like any Grandmother with culinary knack in the kitchen, never took pen to paper to write down anything. Food memory, as much as taste, dictates which ingredients to use and how much. I remember the crust made of water and shortening stretched over a white Corningware baking dish with little blue cornflowers, the eggy ricotta filling with bands of prosciutto strewn sparsely throughout, with the tiniest flecks of black pepper and parsley, and the salty taste of Pecorino Romano lingering on your tongue long after eating a slice.
I deviate only slightly with an all butter crust and genoa salami, which when I first made this recipe back in 1996, the latter was all I could afford at the time, and, it didn’t falter on flavor and therefore remains a main ingredient to this day. You can always add prosciutto instead, if you’d like.
The one thing I do insist, however, is to never serve this pie warm – or re-heat it. I’ve only had it at room temp or straight out of the fridge; the only way Mum Mum would serve it and how I serve it too. As a matter of fact, I highly recommend you make this pie the day before, chill it, and then eat it the following day. You will not be disappointed.
PREP/BAKE TIME: 1 Hour 55 Minutes
Makes 10 – 12 Servings
INGREDIENTS
PIE CRUST
2 Cups – All Purpose Flour, Plus Some for Dusting
2 Sticks – Unsalted Butter, Cubed
1 Tsp – Kosher Salt
3 – 4 Tb – Iced Water
CUSTARD
2 Lb – Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
6 Large Eggs, Plus One for Egg Wash
¾ Cup – Pecorino Romano Cheese
¼ Cup – Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tsp – Kosher Salt
¼ Tsp – Coarse Black Pepper
4 Oz – Sliced Genoa Salami, Roughly Chopped
1 Tb – Finely Chopped, Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley (Optional)
THE NITTY GRITTY
Preheat oven to 375° F.
PIE CRUST - In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and salt till blended. Add cubed butter; cut into flour and salt with pastry cutter, or back of fork till mixture appears ‘shredded.’ Add iced water one tablespoon at a time; using your hands, combine till dough forms.
Transfer dough to a clean, flat, floured surface; form into ball and flatten. Roll dough, starting from middle and out to end, turning with each roll (flour when necessary); form a 14” disc—about an 1/8” or so thick. Dough will split from corners as you roll; no need to worry, you’ll be doing most of the work shaping the dough into the pan.
Using a rolling pin, roll dough up, starting from the end, onto roller; carefully unroll dough over a 9” springform pan outer-wrapped with one layer of foil. Shape into pan; with about a 1/2” edge of crust sticking out above pan. Chill in fridge to prepare filling.
CUSTARD - In another mixing bowl, add eggs, ricotta, cheese, salt, pepper and heavy cream. Using a hand mixer at medium low speed; beat till blended. Increase speed to medium; continue beating till mixture is smooth and velvety. Fold in salami and parsley till blended into custard. Pour custard into pie crust; smooth using back of spoon. Gently tap pan on counter to get rid of any air bubbles.
Place pie onto a baking sheet; egg wash pie dough edges. Transfer to oven on middle rack and bake for 1 hour 25 minutes, or till custard is golden, domey and cracked – with some giggle in the center.
Remove pie from oven onto a cooling rack; let cool in pan for 2 hours. Release pie from springform and continue to cool for another hour. Serve at room temp the same day, or refrigerate overnight to serve the next day by placing on a sizeable plate and covering with cling film.
Store any unused slices in an airtight container or storage bags; refrigerate for up to 3 – 4 days, or freeze for 2 – 3 months.
APRIL 2, 2021
