NJ Italian Easter Pie

Where I grew up in NJ, my friends' Southern Italian moms always made an Easter pie this time of year.

Some moms made a meat pie with ricotta, and others made a sweet pie with wheat berries and ricotta.

No meat, no cold cuts, no basket cheese, just a ricotta filling with chocolate, candied orange or citron, rice and a pasta frolla (crust).

This is a good basic recipe (sans the wheatberries and rice), it's delicious and the perfect Easter dessert, whether you are Italian or not!

Easter Pie (sweet version):

Pie Crust:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold diced butter
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp baking powder (a pinch)

Ricotta Filling:
16 oz container ricotta cheese (2 cups)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1/4 tsp almond extract (or vanilla)
1-2 tbsp of candied orange (optional)
4 eggs
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Make the crust. In a food processor, dump in all the ingredients, including the eggs.
Whiz for a minute or two until a nice ball of dough appears.

Dump out on a cutting board and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Take out of the fridge and roll out the dough on the plastic wrap (so it doesn't stick to the cutting board) into a 10" circle.

Using the plastic wrap as a delivery method, turn the dough upside down into a 9" pie dish or 9" fluted deep dish tart pan with removable bottom.
Press dough into the sides of the pans to make a nice even fit. Put back in the fridge while you make the filling.

Mix the ricotta w/ the zest, eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, and gradually mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Pour into your prepared pie crust and bake in a 350F preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Delizioso!