Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook (37 page)

6.
Bake until the crust is golden brown and a small knife inserted into the filling for 5 seconds comes out hot, about 1 hour. Transfer the pie to a wire cooling rack and let stand for 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cooled, at least 3 hours or up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

7.
Remove the sides of the pan, cut into wedges, and serve at room temperature.

“Pasquale ‘Patsy’ Scognamillo’s passion was always reflected in the home-style recipes he prepared. The thought of my father, upstairs at his regular table, showing his granddaughters how to make a rocket from a cookie wrapper by rolling it into a cylinder and setting a match to it delights me. This moment, blended with the rich flavors of the delicious food, is etched in my heart forever.”

—Nancy Sinatra

Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Prosciutto and Bacon

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

For decades, our first choice for Easter dinner was baby lamb, a meal that had its roots in Naples. Because baby lamb is now so difficult to come by, this is the way that I like to prepare stuffed leg of lamb for the feast. This is no compromise, believe me! You’ll have a savory pork and herb filling and a light sauce that truly complements the juicy lamb.

1 boneless leg of lamb, about 6 pounds, trimmed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

5 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise

2 slices bacon

2 thin slices prosciutto

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup
Chicken Stock
or reduced-sodium store-bought chicken broth

⅓ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 dried bay leaves

1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a roasting pan.

2.
Place the lamb, cut side up, on the work surface, with the long side facing you. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, followed by the basil, rosemary, and garlic. Place the bacon, running vertically, at opposite short ends of the lamb. Spread the prosciutto out in the center of the lamb to over as much surface as possible. Starting at a short end, roll up the lamb, tucking in the bacon and prosciutto as needed. Tie the lamb crosswise with kitchen twine. Rub the lamb with the oil and place in the pan.

3.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Roast for 1 hour. Remove the foil and turn the lamb over. Continue roasting, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Pour the stock and wine over the lamb and add the butter and bay leaves to the pan. Return the pan to the oven and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the lamb reads 130°F for medium-rare lamb, 5 to 10 minutes more.

4.
Transfer the lamb to a carving board and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves and twine. Skim the fat from the pan juices. Bring the juices to a boil in the pan over high heat, scraping up any browned bits in the pan with a wooden spoon; keep warm. Carve the lamb crosswise and transfer to a platter. Pour the pan juices on top and serve hot.

Easter Bread with Colored Eggs

MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF, ABOUT 10 SERVINGS

Every Italian holiday has baked goods specific to the occasion. At Easter, we have this braid with colored Easter eggs on top. (The eggs do not have to be hard-boiled because they will cook in the oven.) This pretty loaf looks like it was made by a bakery, but it is easy to pull off at home.

Sweet Dough (
here
)

6 colored eggs (see Note)

1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon whole milk, for glaze

2 teaspoons nonpareils (colored sugar decorations), for garnish

1.
Make the Sweet Dough through step 2.

2.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into thirds. Roll each piece of dough underneath your palms on the work surface into an 20-inch rope, tapering the ends. Line up the ropes next to each other. Starting from the center, braid the ropes to each end, pinching the rope ends together to shape into a tapered loaf. Transfer the braid to the parchment paper–lined-baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm draft-free place until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour (or about 1½ hours for chilled dough). During the last 15 minutes of rising, distribute the eggs evenly over the top of the braid, nestling them in the seams.

3.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

4.
Brush the braid lightly with the egg glaze and sprinkle with the nonpareils. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.

NOTE:
To color the eggs, you can use a commercial coloring set, or make your own coloring dip. For each color, combine 1½ cups boiling water and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar in a large glass. Tint the liquid as desired with food coloring gel (which has deeper colors than liquid coloring, although you can use liquid). Dip each egg in the coloring mixture, and let stand for at least 2 minutes, or until the desired color is reached. Remove the egg from the coloring mixture and let dry on a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet.

Pastiera Napolitana (Ricotta and Wheat Berry Cheesecake)

MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS