Recipe Talk

ITALIAN CHEESE PIE" (this is from an old McCalls Cooking school Mag.

ITALIAN CHEESE PIE

Crust:

1 1/2 c unsifted All Purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbs butter or margarine, softened

1/4 c sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp grated orange peel

1 Tbs orange juice

Sift flour w/ baking powder & salt. In med bowl,

w/ electric mixer beat butter w/ sugar and 1 egg

until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, orange peel,

& juice. Add half flour mixture. With wooden

spoon, beat until well blended. Add remaining

flour, mixing w/ hands ubntil dough leaves side

of bowl & holds together. Turn out onto board,

knead several times to blend. Set aside,

covered.

Make filling:

1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese

3/4 c sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp flour

1 tsp almond extract

2 Tbs finely chopped citron

PLUS 1 egg, separated for brushing on crust

In med bowl beat ricotta until creamy. Add sugar,

eggs, flour, almond and citron; beat until

combined. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. divide pastry

in half. On moistened surface roll half between 2

sheets of waxed paper to 11 inch circle. Remove

top paper, fit into 9 inch pie plate. Trim to edge

of plate. Brush bottom w/ egg white. Roll

remaining pastry to 1/8 in thickness. With pastry

cutter, cut into 10 strips, 1/2 inch wide. Pour

filling into lined pie plate. Place 5 pastry strips

across filling, pressing firmly to edge of pie plate.

Place remaining strips across first ones to make

a lattice. Reroll trimmings between waxed paper.

cut into 1/2 wide strips. Place around edge of

pie. With fork, press firmly to pie plate. With fork,

beat egg yolk w/ 1 Tbs water, brush over crust.

Place a strip of foil, about 2 inches wide, around

edge of crust to prevent over-browning. Bake

about 50 minutes or until top is golden brown

and filling is set. Cool on wire rack, then

refrigerate until well chilled. 8 hours or overnight.

Makes 8 servings.

This is from McCalls JANUARY 1982. My mom cut out the recipe. This is a altered version from my grandmothers original recipe. Italian Easter Pie.