Barra's Traditional Italian Easter Pie

A meal in itself! This traditional meat pie has been our Easter morning breakfast for five generations. It is expensive to make, takes a lot of preparation but is worth every bite! In our family, this was more precious than gold and we all anxiously awaited Good Friday's fast to past so my father could make Easter Pie. This is a family secret recipe that's out there for all you adventureous cooks to try! and I hope you will :)

• Ready In: 13 hrs
• Yields: 2 nine inch deep dish pies

Ingredients

• CRUST

• 3  eggs
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup shortening
• 2  tablespoons milk
• 1  pinch salt

• FILLING

• 1  dozen  hard-boiled egg
• 10  eggs
• 1⁄2 cup Italian parsley (chopped fine)
• 1  cup  grated  locatelli cheese
• 3  lbs sweet Italian sausage links (remove casings)
• 1  lb mozzarella cheese (cut small cubes)
• 1⁄2 lb prosciutto, sliced thin (italian smoked ham)
• 1  lb provolone cheese (cut small cubes)
• 1  lb  deli thin sliced, boiled ham (, cut into squares)
• 1  lb  deli thin sliced  genoa salami (cut into squares)

Directions

1. CRUST PREPARATION: Mix flour and salt together, cut in shortening with 2 knives or pastry cutter.
2. Add beaten eggs to flour mixture slowly, incorporating very well.
3. Add milk (additional liquid if necessary) to hold mixture together as it is kneaded.
4. Shape pastry into two balls.
5. Chill for 30 minutes or until ready to begin making the pie.
6. PREPARATION FOR FILLING: Remove the sausage meat from the casings; set aside in small bowl.
7. In another small bowl, place all the mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch cubes; set aside.
8. In another small bowl, place all the provolone, cut into 1/4-inch cubes; set aside.
9. Do the same for the ham and salami and proscuitta; set aside keeping all the ingredients separate.
10. Boil dozen eggs; cool, peel, cut into quarters and set aside.
11. Make EGG WASH:In a blender, add 10 eggs, parsley, 1/2 cup grating cheese.
12. Blend; set aside.
13. This will be used between layers of ingredients as the"holding agent" to keep all the ingredients together.
14. TO ASSEMBLE PIE: Roll chilled pastry on floured board to 1/8-inch thickness.
15. Make into 2 large circles to fit into a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate and to cover.
16. Better to do this in glass; it cooks more evenly and you can see if your bottom has fully cooked.
17. Fit the pastry into the pan and up the sides.
18. Begin by layering the quartered hard boiled eggs as the first layer on bottom, about 1-inch apart from eachother.
19. In between each quartered slice of egg, with your fingers, place a small piece of sausage meat; going around the whole first layer of the pie.
20. Sprinkle a layer of grated cheese all around.
21. Next, a thin layer of mozzarella; (one piece high), Next a thin layer of proscuitta; Next a thin layer of provolone cheese; Next a thin layer of salami; Next a thin layer of boiled ham.
22. Pour 1/2 cup of your egg wash over the first layer.
23. Begin again with your quartered eggs; alternating the quarters"in between" the quarters of the first layer.
24. Layer each ingredient as you did on the first layer and so on.
25. Proceed with your second layer; again egg wash poured over the layer, etc.
26. Depending on the depth of the pie pan, the size of your cut ingredients, you may have two or three layers, but don't fill it beyond the rim of the dish.
27. Cover the last layer with another piece of pastry dough and crimp together firmly"gluing" if necessary to keep things together as the pie expands.
28. Cut a steam hole on top and brush pastry with a tablespoon of milk (just to enhance the beauty of this meal for presentation) to form a glaze.
29. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
30. Bake for one hour or until the pie crust is golden on the top and ingredients are bubbly.
31. The aroma will tell you the pie is done!
32. If you filled the pie too much with egg wash or ingredients, it may boil over.
33. It is a good idea to place a sheet of aluminum foil beneath the pie in the oven to catch any drips.
34. Serve the pie warm.
35. Keep Refrigerated; leftovers can be reheated nicely in a toaster oven or a microwave for 1 minute.