Stuffed Pizza (Calabria)

Pizza

Ingredients

Once risen bread dough, made with 5 cups flour - 2 pounds

Softened lard - 1/2 cup

Eggs, beaten - 2 large

Salt and pepper

Lard for pan 

Frittoli - 3/4 pound

Put the dough on a pastry board, pull it open in the middle, punch it down lightly to deflate it and then add the lard and about 3/4 of the beaten eggs. Add a pinch of salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Knead the dough  until it is elastic and smooth again, and comes away from the board. Cover and leave to rise for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk.

Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Grease a 12 inch diameter baking pan with lard. Line this with the larger portion of dough, stretching it out evenly with your thumbs and overlapping the sides of the pan. Cover with the frittoli and then with the rest of the dough, stretching it out in the same way. Press the edges firmly to seal them, and brush the top with the remaining egg. Put the pitta aside to recover and puff up, then bake in a hot oven (450F) for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until an even golden brown. Serve hot.

Serves 6