Pizza Rustica - a full flavoured quiche

This is one of those dishes that make you feel good, wholesome and warm.

I told the family I was making Pizza Rustica and they were intrigued.   

When I told them it was basically a quiche with salami + bacon and they were even more impressed.

This is an old Italian recipe and should be enclosed fully in home made pastry, but this is not essential.

 

Being a Sunday I decided to skip making the pastry and cheat with frozen shortcrust pastry, no one batted an eyelid.   Between the grocery shopping on Sunday morning and visiting on Sunday afternoon it was an easy and filling lunch to prepare.

                       Pizza Rustico

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Pizza Rustico

8 eggs, yolks separated from whites

110g salami, diced

100g bacon, finely shredded

100g shredded mozzarella

100g grated fresh parmesan cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry,thaw3ed

1 egg, beaten with a little milk

Heat oven to 180C.

Line a quiche pan with non stick baking paper and line with the thawed shortcrust pastry making the pastry go a little higher than the sides of the pan.

Prick pastry all over with a fork.  Brush lightly with the beaten egg mixture.

Firstly whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl and set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl and add the salami, bacon, cheeses and parsley.  Gently fold the egg whites into this mixture.  Taste and add pepper, only a little salt as the salami and bacon are salty.

Pour the mixture into the pastry base.  Gently pinch the pastry sides down to form a flute just above the level of the egg mixture.  

Brush pastry with the remaining beaten egg wash.

Place in middle of oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes.

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Buon appetito, enjoy Merryn xx