Torta Pasqualina, or pizza rustica is a sort of Easter pie made with prosciutto, salami, mozzarella and other Italian staples. You might not have heard of it before because it is a labor-intensive food! Most people these days buy their pizza rustica at an Italian pastry shop. Despite its name, it isn’t like a pizza; it’s a robust pastry, a savory pie served as an antipasto before Easter dinner. It is rich and delicious, with deli meat and cheese. The pastry has a bit of a thicker, bready texture to it, which helps hold in the hearty filling.

As you need to prepare the pastry and filling, which includes a lot of different meats, a lot of people opt for buying theirs. There is a lot of work involved, but you can make it ahead of time! The pie can be refrigerated for up to 5 days, making it good for some delicious leftovers! It’s a hearty food and would be a great lunch on its own, maybe paired with a salad. Generally, though, it is served as an antipasto before the big Easter dinner. It’s quite rich, so you don’t need a huge piece! Everyone can have some.

The filling usually includes sweet Italian sausage, Genoa salami, pepperoni, smoked ham, prosciutto, mozzarella, ricotta, eggs, and herbs. You can of course use any Italian meats; chorizo, mortadella, capicola… These options would be delicious as well! The pie is fully covered with a layer of pastry on top, with a vent or two cut in and an egg yolk brushed over. You could also use extra dough to make the top pretty! Kids can have fun with this and make bunnies or flowers to decorate it. The pie is baked until the filling is bubbling, but the important part is to let it cool before cutting into it! That lets all the goodness stay in place when you cut out a wedge.

I hope that if you hadn’t heard of a pizza rustica before, that you will definitely try it out. It is a delicious and rich Easter tradition.