Easter Helpers

Mom made the Easter meat pie yesterday and we were right there helping her every step of the way!
Mom calls this pie pizza gain and we did a bit of research on it and this is what we came up with:

In Naples it is known as "pastiera," and is made with ricotta cheese and whole grains of wheat to symbolize rebirth. It is also known as "pizza piena," (stuffed pie), and in Italian-American dialect, "pizza gain." "Pizza Rustica" is still another term and refers to the savory and rustic aspects of the pie. Italian meat pie is called a "pizzachino" which means pie of meat or meat pie in Italian.

Mom diced thin slices of ham and some genoa salami and some prosciutto and a basket of basket cheese! Everyone always wants to know what basket cheese is! This is what it looks like!We both got to sample the basket cheese!This is the meat and basket cheese all diced up and ready to be mixed with 1 cup or so of ricotta, 6 eggs, about 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste!Mom doesn't make her own crust! She says that it's a pain so she buys it and rolls it out thinner then what comes out of the package and then she poured the egg-ricotta mixture with all of the ham and basket cheese add into her prepared 9" X 13" pan. It's in a 350 degree oven and it stays in there for about 1 1/2 hours!This is the pizza gain just out of the oven! ummmmmmmmmmmmm - it smells wonderful!Tomorrow we get to help make the Easter Rice pie and on Sunday we're making lazagna again! Our sissy, Missy and her hubby, Jim, will be here to share Easter dindin with us!
Happy Easter everyone!

Love ya lots,

Maggie and Mitch