Alpha Bakers: Pizza Rustica

We are finally baking Pizza Rustica - YAY!

I have wanted to make this since the book came out. I had even thought to ask Marie to put this on the schedule last year, because I really want to make it. But then I keep forgetting to send the email or post a comment about it (I guess that means I don't want it that badly). In the end, I never sent a request and figured oh well, I'll just wait for it to come on the schedule. And now it's here. And it's sort of good timing too. I've been sick for 2 weeks and when I felt better last weekend I decided to bake this a week ahead.

I don't know why I want to make this, since I'm not a big fan of things with a lot of cheese. I don't have anything against cheese, just don't find food with mainly cheese as filling very interesting. I think the name intrigue me. Pizza Rustica. Sounds very elegant and yummy. Also, the picture in the book makes it look so appealing. At any rate, I want to make it for the sake of making it and not really much for eating it.

And Marie, I made the full recipe. It was not by intention. I had written down the ounce amount of ricotta, mozzarella, and soppressata that I need for a 1/2 recipe. But there is no such thing as small portion of ricotta or mozzarella at the grocery store I went to, so I ended up buying and making the amount for a full recipe.

I tried a slice in the afternoon (the slice in the photo above) and found myself really liking it! It has a good taste that's not too rich and heavy, perhaps because we use ricotta and mozzarella which are not super rich in taste. I wish I had spread out the soppressata more though, I think if I ended up with deli-cut soppressata next time I shoud do ricotta, soppressata, mozarella, soppressata and repeat this layering process.

Since this is a full recipe, I have 1/2 of it still in the freezer for my knitting group, 1/4 I kept for myself, and the other 1/4 went to my friend E, who texted me with "It was fabulous! I ate the entire piece in one afternoon!! Yum yum please make it again sometime."

And there are a lot of step by step photos in this one. I got a little carried away with the photos since I was so excited to be baking.

Step by step photos:

1 egg swimming in almond milk.

Flour mixture and butter ready to party.

Butter massaged into the flour mixture.

Almost there.

Looks better.

Split into 1/3 and 2/3.

Wrapped in plastic to rest in the fridge.

Great deal Whole Milk Ricotta.

Still looks good inside. Phew.

I am really confused by this straining step. After 10 minutes I barely got 1/2 the tub through, so I just dump everything into the bowl. I think this is probably useful if you make your own ricotta and it's watery but not needed if you get good/thick ricotta.

Peppered!

Add the other egg.

Soppressata. I got the exact weight at the deli counter and forgot to tell the guy not to cut it into deli slices. Oh well.

A few minutes with the kitchen shears.

Sliced mozzarella.

2/3 dough. With a nice light coming through the window.

1/8" thickness. I had exchanged some messages with Rose who thought there is a mistake in the dough and it should be 1/8" instead of 1/4" so I tested rolling both and confirmed that 1/8" looks better and I liked the result of it after baking.

I rolled it out to almost 16 inch diameter.

Dough then went into the pan, followed by ricotta and mozzarella.

Add sopressata.

More ricotta and then mozzarella.

I seriously need more practice with rolling. There is nothing square about this one :).

A bit of trimming.

A bit of leafing.

An hour later.

Perfect for any time of day really. I can see this for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner!

 

Mine :)!

Alpha Bakers is a group of bakers who are baking through The Baking Bible, Rose Levy Beranbaum's latest cookbook. Come check out the rest of the group at Rose's Alpha Bakers.