Pizza Rustica

Ingredients for Pizza Rustica

• 160g plain flour

• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

• 1/4 teaspoons salt

• 1/8 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 3 to 80ml ice water

• 240ml ricotta (preferably fresh or homemade

• 230g )

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 45ml grated Pecorino Romano

• 160ml coarsely grated aged provolone

• 90g thinly sliced Italian deli meats such as soppressata, prosciutto, capicolla ham, and salami, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 (9-inch) tart pan with a removable bottom

• pie weights or dried beans

Blend together flour, butter, salt, and pepper in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Drizzle 45ml ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.

Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and press into a 5-inch disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 191°C with rack in middle.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Fit dough into tart pan and trim excess, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge. Prick dough in pan all over with a fork. Chill pan until dough is firm, about 15 to 30 minutes.

Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until edges are pale golden, 18 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake until shell is golden all over, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Cool completely in pan, about 20 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 177°C. Stir together ricotta, eggs, Pecorino, provolone, meats, parsley, and 1/4 teaspoons pepper. Spread filling evenly in baked shell.

Bake tart until filling is set and pale golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool tart in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes, then carefully remove sides of pans and slide the tart off bottom. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.