Happy East... :)~

Happy East......That's the way Happy Easter sounds when one of my uncles says it with a thick Italian accent.

Easter is next Sunday, and that means lots of my favorite foods. For the past few years I have been trying to make it to the Italian side of my family. My Aunt Mary's house. God they always have the best food there. Not just on the holidays either. On any given day or night you could pop into any one of my father's 9 siblings houses.... and there would be a 4 course meal going on. And if there wasn't.... One magically appeared within moments!....I'm not kidding!!! :)~ Hungry or not....be prepared to eat well when entering one of my aunt's kitchens!.....This is a recipe for one of my favorite Easter deserts.

Classic Riccotta Pie
1 1/2c Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4c butter softened
1 egg yolk
2-3 Tbs water
3 1/2c Ricotta cheese
1/4c Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 TB Grated lemon peel
1 TB Grated orange peel
1 TB Vanilla
4 Eggs beaten
1 c Sugar
Cinnamon
Mix 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium size bowl. cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of the water. Add more water a few drops at a time if pastry is crumbly. Roll dough on well-floured surface into 13 inch circle. Ease pastry carefully into greased 10 inch pie plate. Fold edge of pastry under and pinch to stand 1/2 inch above pie plate.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cheese, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, grated lemon and orange peels and vanilla in large bowl. Beat in 4 eggs. Add sugar gradually. Pour filling into pastry-lined pie plate. Bake pie until filling is firm about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Sprinkle ground cinnamon lightly over cheese filling just before serving. Serve warm or cold