Always a must have at Easter, our family enjoys

this treat, also, at other holiday and family gatherings.

PASTRY:

Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in food processor until well combined.  Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size lumps.  Add eggs and pulse until all just incorporated and dough begins to form large clumps or ball.

Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 6 portions.  With the heel of your hand, massage each portion a few times in a forward motion to help distribute fat.  

Gather dough together, using a pastry scraper, and form into a thick log.  Cut off 2/3 of the log and form into a large rectangle for the bottom of the pie.  Form the remaining piece into a smaller rectangle for the top.  Chill each, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes. This recipe is for a 9X13-inch baking pan/

FILLING:

Bring rice and well salted water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, covered until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain in strainer and rinse quickly under cold water.  Drain well, shaking several times to release excess water. 

Whisk together 3 yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl, then whisk in cornstarch and flour until smooth (this mixture should be very thick), then boil, whisking for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla or almond extract.  Transfer to a bowl and chill, covering the surface with plastic wrap, for about 2 hours.

Stir together ricotta, custard, and remaining yolks, then stir in zests, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and cooked rice.

ASSEMBLE:

Preheat oven to 350º.  Generously butter a 9X13-inch baking dish and line the bottom with an overlapping double layer of foil, leaving at least 2-inches of overhang on both ends, then generously butter foil.

Roll out larger piece of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap it a 11X15-inch rectangle (about 1/8-ich thick).  If dough becomes too soft, chill or freeze until firm.  Remove top sheet of paper and invert dough into baking pan, patting it gently to fit into pan.  Chill while working with 2^nd piece of dough.  Roll out remaining dough, again between sheets of wax paper the same way.  Cut 12 (3/4-inch wide) long strips.

(The pastry dough is soft and tears easily when it gets too soft but patches easily too. Best to keep it chilled.)

Spread filling in pan, smooth top and arrange 6 strips diagonally across filling, trimming ends.  Arrange remaining 6 strips, diagonally across first strips to form a lattice effect on top with diamond-shaped spaces.  Alternately you can just cut strips to go across short end and then across the long end. Trim lattice to fit pan, then fold outside crust over filling, crimping to make a border.  Brush pastry evenly with a beaten egg.

Bake pie on middle rack of oven until pastry is golden brown and filling is puffed and set, about 1 ½ hours, loosely covering top of pie with foil after 45 minutes to prevent the crust from becoming too brown. Transfer to a rack to cool.  When completely cool, carefully lift pie out of pan using foil and transfer to serving dish. Chill if not serving immediately but bring to room temperature or a bit warm to serve.

Note: Pastry dough can be made and chilled 1 day in advance and kept chilled. Rice can also be prepared 1 day in advance and kept chilled. 

BUON MANGIATA!