Scrumptious Rustica

Rustica is a traditional dish served on Carnevale/ Pancake Day (the day before Ash Wednesday) and then again on Easter. When cooking a meal for an auspicious occasion or when there are lots of people coming over for dinner, you cannot afford to mess up.

You need a perfect, tried and tested recipe that will make others lick their finger till the very last bite. This recipe of Rustica is exactly that, it will not only treat your taste buds but will also impress everyone else’s!

Health Benefits:

Most of us underestimate mozzarella cheese and think of it as an aesthetic ingredient. That’s not true; mozzarella contains biotin, vitamin B6, riboflavin, calcium, and various other minerals and nutrients. It is also very low in calories and helps with bone growth, weight loss and prevents a large number of cardiovascular diseases.

Following is the nutritional chart of for 8 servings of Rustica:

Energy                  615.1 cal

Protein                 29.9 g

Carbohydrates  25.2 g

Fat                         43.5 g

Saturated Fat     18.2 g

Fiber                     1.9 g

Cholesterol        246.7 mg

Ingredients

meat (diced): 1/4 lb

ricotta cheese: 1 lb

tsp black pepper: 1

Eggs: 7

pie shells: 2

dried sausage: 1/4 lb

mozzarella cheese: 1/2 lb

ounces grated cheese: 3

tsp onion powder: 1/4

cup chopped parsley: 1/2

How To Make Scrumptious Rustica

1. Begin by dicing mozzarella cheese and meat. Set aside.
2. Beat all the 7 eggs in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add beaten eggs, meat, mozzarella, ricotta cheese, sausages, onion powder, grated cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the contents well together.
4. Place the pie shell on a flat surface and pour the mixture inside. Use the second pie shell to cover the first one and seal the edges together.
5. Place the pie on a greased baking pan and put it inside the oven.
6. Set the oven at 325° F and allow the pie to bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
7. Use a fork to pierce the top occasionally.
8. Remove from the oven, let it cool down and enjoy the delicious Rustica.

Trivia:

• Originally, mozzarella was made using only water buffalo milk.
• Original and traditionally made mozzarella is cut by hands and that’s how it got its name. “Mozzare” means to chop off or cut off.

Mozzarella was originated in Campania, not by the locals but by the Normans who invaded the southern Italy in the late 11^th century.