Country Cheese Pie (Naples)

Pizza

Ingredients

Short Pastry:

All purpose flour - 3 cups

Softened butter - 3/4 cup

Salt

Eggs, lightly beaten- 2 small

Filling:

Ricotta or cottage cheese - 1 1/4 cups

Smoked provola cheese, diced - 1/3 pound

Mozzerella cheese, diced - 1/2 pound

Grated parmesan cheese - 1 2/3 cups

Eggs, lightly beaten - 4

Parma ham or salami, diced - 1/4 pound

Parsley, finely chopped - 2-3 sprigs

Salt and pepper

Egg, beaten to brush pastry

Short pastry: Sift the flour on to a pastry board or into a bowl and rub in the butter. Add a pinch of salt and the eggs. Work quickly, just enough to mix the ingredients to a dough. Put aside in a floured bowl and leave, covered for 30 minutes.

Filling: Mix the four cheeses in a bowl, add the eggs, parma ham or salami, parsley and a pinch of salt and pepper. Put aside.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll both pieces into round sheets - sufficent to cover a 12 inch pie pan. Line the pan with the larger sheet of pastry. Spread with the filling and cover with the remaining sheet of pastry. Press the edges down firmly. Gather together the remaining ends of the pastry and roll them into a strip, like a thin cord. Press this lightly around the edges. Prick all over with a fork and brush with beaten egg. Bake in a moderate oven (375F) for about 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown. Serve warm or cold. 

Serves 6