Pizza Rustica di Pasqua (Easter Pizza) and Braided Egg Bread (Easter Bread)

Pizza Rustica

There are almost as many recipes for Pizza Rustica di Pasqua as there are Italian families in America.  Some are more a rich cheese bread which look absolutely delicious on google and others, the "rustica" or rustic are savory pies.  None that I viewed on the internet are quite the same as what my grandmother and my aunts used to make and that I've made for many years myself.  As it is quite "heavy" and not cheap to make, I suggest cutting the recipe down to 2/3 or less. Exact proportions of the filling are not that important. One of my cousins said her mom's pie weighed 30 pounds, but I think that was an exaggeration.

Aunt Stella's recipe for the pie filling called for the following (but you can use less for a smaller pie)
  ~ 3 dozen boiled eggs, quartered (I used 2 dozen)
  ~ 2 pounds of capocollo, (a deli ham with hot pepper) (I used 1 pound),
  ~ 2 pounds of formaggio fresco, a fresh "basket cheese" somewhat like farmers cheese that you can likely only get at an Italian market around the Easter holiday. (I used 1 pound)
  ~ 6 beaten eggs. (5 for a smaller pie)

  

Crust:
Every crust recipe I found on-line called for butter as well.  For a large pie use:
3 1/2 cups flour (plus 1/2 cup for kneading and rolling)
6 beaten eggs
1 stick of soft butter (not melted) plus a little salt.  (tsp)

If making a smaller recipe use:
2 1/2 cups flour (plus 1/2 cup for kneading and rolling)
5 beaten eggs,
1/2 stick of soft butter plus a little salt

I use the 21 inch rolling pin (actually a 1 1/4 inch diameter dowel) which allows you to roll out a thin crust large enough to cover the bottom of the roasting pan.

Combine the flour, beaten eggs and butter and salt in the proportions that you choose. Mix, then knead until a dough comes together; knead for 5 or 10 minutes till smooth and evenly mixed, then wrap the ball of dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 or 15 minutes.

Divide the dough slightly unequally and roll out the larger portion in a rectangular shape thin enough to line the bottom and sides of a large or medium size roasting pan (depending on the flour proportions you chose) for the bottom crust.  Lay it into the pan.

Put one layer of sliced capocollo on the bottom, (some recipes use a combination of Italian meats like salami, mortadella, prosciutto, etc. but our family recipe uses only capocollo).
Then one layer of boiled eggs quartered and placed closely together in rows down the length of the pan.

Cut slices of fresh basket cheese and place them on top of the boiled eggs . Continue to layer more capocollo, more boiled egg quarters, more formaggio fresco (basket cheese) and end with a layer of capocollo.

Pour the beaten eggs on top (the egg will drizzle into the pie) and then roll out the remaining dough into a rectangular shape large enough to cover the pie with a top crust.
Trim any excess around the edges and use this to make a cross or design on the top (optional)
Pinch the edges, brush the crust with egg wash (egg beaten with a little water) and bake at 350 for an hour and a quarter - to an hour and a half.
The crust should get golden brown.
Let it cool before cutting into it.

This is the original "breakfast sandwich" but it comes with a warning: Distribute generous portions to all your friends and relatives because after three days you will be sick of this version of ham and eggs, guaranteed.

Sweet Egg Bread - Pane di Pasqua

Well, there is no recipe for my bread so I'll wing it like I do when I make it.  This non-recipe will make two large (pizza pan size) or four medium size breads on two sheet pans (see photo).

I started with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 or 2 packets of yeast (or 2to 4 tsp), and a little  flour to get them started. (Adjust amount of yeast depending on quality and ambient temperature. Add up to 1/4 cup honey or sugar and this will feed the yeast in a big way)

Meanwhile I warmed up 3 cups of milk in the microwave - (NOT HOT) (you can use 2 cups milk and 1 cup water) and softened (NOT MELTED) a stick and a half of butter

I added 3/4 cup of sugar (sometimes I use less, especially if I use honey in the yeast mixture) and 4 eggs to the milk and beat them in, added this to the yeast mixture along with the butter and then added some flour, 2 generous teaspoons of salt.

I beat the mixture with a wooden spoon and I kept adding flour until a dough began to form.  Lose the spoon and use hands to knead while adding a little flour at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky but can be kneaded into a smooth ball.  This is a soft dough.

Brush with oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours in a large bowl or pot, till doubled in volume.

Depending on how many and how large you want your loaves, divide the dough into that many pieces. Divide each of those into three and roll into "ropes".  Braid the three ropes for each loaf and form into a ring, a half circle, or whatever shape you like.

Place one or more raw eggs or raw colored eggs into the braid (I used only one because a) we will get tired of eating hard cooked eggs real soon and b) it is easier to slice the bread without the eggs int the way). Let rise for 1 hours or so and brush with egg wash.  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 425 for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 375. If using 2 racks, move the top breads down and the lower ones to the top for more even browning. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or so - depending on your oven, the number of breads in the oven, etc. until the top crust is golden and it taps "hollow" and the edges and peaks are nice and brown.

As you can see, I got distracted and forgot to set the timer to lower the oven.  A little powdered sugar helps cover up the burn.

We get to keep the burnt one, the rest will go to friends or family - maybe.