Recipe for cooking pizza rustica

Recipes from Italy :: Italian Antipasto and Appetizers

Filling
2 c. cooked, smoked ham, cubed
2 c. cooked Italian sausage, sliced
1 c. Mozzarella cheese, cubed or shredded
1/2 c. chopped parsley
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 c. Ricotta cheese
3 eggs, uncooked
Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Mix all chopped ingredients in large bowl. Place uncooked eggs and Ricotta cheese in blender container and mix on med. speed for about 1 minute. Add to the chopped ingredients and combine well.

Crust
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. granulated yeast
1/4 c. olive oil
1 1/2 (one and one-half) c. hot tap water

Place flour and salt in large bowl. Combine hot water, oil and yeast in measuring c. with a fork. Add to flour and mix well. If dough is dry, add water as necessary. If dough is too sticky, add flour, one Tbsp. at a time. Knead until dough forms ball. Leave in the bowl in warm place to rise until double in volume. Punch down before rolling.

Divide dough in half and roll to fit a large pie pan or 15-in. pizza pan. Place one circle on bottom of pan. Top with the filling, pressing out all air pockets. The pie will look too full. Top with remaining dough. Trim around pan with knife leaving about 1 in. extra all around. Press edges to seal and tuck sealed edge in all around pan. Prick top with fork several times to make air holes. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees fahrenheit for 20 mins., then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees fahrenheit and bake an additional 1/2 an hour.

Serves 6 to 8.