Growing up I loved the Easter holiday. In our family, Easter was as big a deal as Christmas. The boys in the family wore little suits and ties with white shirts and new shoes. They looked like cute, but uncomfortable miniature versions of their Dads with slicked back hair. All the little girls in the family got new outfits to wear on Easter Sunday too. Easter outfits consisted of, my favorite, straw hats with streamers, ruffled dresses, lace-trimmed socks, and shiny, new black patent leather mary jane shoes. Every family member has Easter photos to prove we dressed up for the yearly Easter Sunday mass and following breakfast at Gramma’s house.
When us good Catholic children got up on Easter morning, we would rush to see what the Easter Bunny left in our beautiful Easter baskets. However, none of the candy could be eaten yet. You had to fast until after you went to mass and received Holy Communion. And, besides having to stay clean all day because of wearing the new clothes, we had to wait until after breakfast to eat any of the candy. Believe me when I tell you what torture it was waiting to be able to eat that Easter candy, especially after having to give up things like candy for Lent. I tried not promise to give up candy for Lent since I knew I could never keep that promise and was afraid I would end up burning in hell. I would try to give up thing like milk, vegetables, or the ever popular swear words. So, it will be my Mom’s fault that I burn in hell because she made me drink milk and eat vegetables.
One of my favorite things to eat on Easter at Gramma’s house was her Easter Rice Pie. Every Italian family has a version of what they say is the right recipe for Easter Rice Pie; here is my family’s simple yet tasty recipe:
Easter Rice Pie
Crust:
2 cups flour
2/3 cup Lard (vegetable shortening)
¼ tsp salt
6-7 Tbsp cold water
Filling:
1 Lb par boiled rice (save liquid for moistening)
1 ½ Lb proscuitto or boiled ham, cut in bite sized pieces
1 handful of Parmesan cheese
8 or 9 eggs, beaten
Dash of black pepper
Mix crust ingredients like you would make a pie crust. Roll dough and place pie crust in a 12” lightly greased cast iron frying pan. In a separate bowl, mix all filling ingredients. Use the liquid saved from boiling the rice to just moisten if it seems too dry. Fill pie crust and bake right in the cast iron pan at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
When us good Catholic children got up on Easter morning, we would rush to see what the Easter Bunny left in our beautiful Easter baskets. However, none of the candy could be eaten yet. You had to fast until after you went to mass and received Holy Communion. And, besides having to stay clean all day because of wearing the new clothes, we had to wait until after breakfast to eat any of the candy. Believe me when I tell you what torture it was waiting to be able to eat that Easter candy, especially after having to give up things like candy for Lent. I tried not promise to give up candy for Lent since I knew I could never keep that promise and was afraid I would end up burning in hell. I would try to give up thing like milk, vegetables, or the ever popular swear words. So, it will be my Mom’s fault that I burn in hell because she made me drink milk and eat vegetables.
One of my favorite things to eat on Easter at Gramma’s house was her Easter Rice Pie. Every Italian family has a version of what they say is the right recipe for Easter Rice Pie; here is my family’s simple yet tasty recipe:
Easter Rice Pie
Crust:
2 cups flour
2/3 cup Lard (vegetable shortening)
¼ tsp salt
6-7 Tbsp cold water
Filling:
1 Lb par boiled rice (save liquid for moistening)
1 ½ Lb proscuitto or boiled ham, cut in bite sized pieces
1 handful of Parmesan cheese
8 or 9 eggs, beaten
Dash of black pepper
Mix crust ingredients like you would make a pie crust. Roll dough and place pie crust in a 12” lightly greased cast iron frying pan. In a separate bowl, mix all filling ingredients. Use the liquid saved from boiling the rice to just moisten if it seems too dry. Fill pie crust and bake right in the cast iron pan at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
No comments:
Post a Comment