Serves 8 to 10Easter Pie
Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis
Italians love Easter pie so much, we make it year-round and it’s surprisingly easy to make. Think of it as the Italian equivalent to cheesecake… creamy, light and just sweet enough!
Easter Pie
Serves:
10
Cooking Level:
Prep Time
40 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Inactive Time
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar plus extra for garnish
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup cooked short-grained rice
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- 6 sheets fresh phyllo sheets or frozen thawed
- 3/4 stick 3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Originally seen on Everyday Italian, Episode: Viewer Requests.
- Blend 3/4 cup of powdered sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the rice and pine nuts. Set the ricotta mixture aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly butter a 9-inch glass pie dish. Lay 1 phyllo sheet over the bottom and up the sides of the dish, allowing the phyllo to hang over the sides. Brush the phyllo with the melted butter. Top with a second sheet of phyllo dough, laying it in the opposite direction as the first phyllo sheet. Continue layering the remaining sheets of phyllo sheets, alternating after each layer and buttering each sheet. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dish. Fold the overhanging phyllo dough over the top of the filling to enclose it completely. Brush completely with melted butter.
- Bake the pie until the phyllo is golden brown and the filling is set, about 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool completely. Sift powdered sugar over the pie and serve.
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Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman
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One of the only recipes of Gilda's I have made that was a disappointment. I am starching my head trying to figure out went wrong. Six sheets of phyllo seemed like too much to me but I followed the recipe as directed. I expected the phyllo not to bake on the bottom due too how thick six sheets made the crust, which is what happened. The end result a thick unbaked crust with a thin layer of semi-firm filling. Any insight or tips would be appreciated.
I've made this several times for the Easter season and it is delicious. I like using the phyllo dough better as it is lighter than a pie pastry crust.
Could you make this ahead and, if so, how should it be stored? Thank you!
This pie would have to be refrigerated. However, it might make the phyllo slightly less crispy than if it was served on the first day it was baked... doesn't effect how delicious it is though!