From our Family Kitchen: Toot’s Easter Pie Recipe

Easter is a time for celebration, family gatherings, and, of course, delicious food. As an Italian-American family, we have always blended traditional recipes into our modern celebrations. And now we want you to be able to do the same—so we’re sharing one of our most beloved Easter dishes with you: Toots’ Easter Pie.

No matter the holiday, there’s usually an Italian twist to every meal we prepare—but Easter has us returning to one dish that always makes it to our table: Easter Pie.

The History of Italian Easter Pie

Easter Pie (Pizza Rustica in southern Italy or Torta Pasqualina in the north) has been a staple in Italian homes for centuries. It was traditionally baked on Holy Saturday and served on Easter Sunday to break the Lenten fast—a savory celebration of abundance after forty days of restraint. Each region has its own version, but the common thread is always rich with eggs, cheese, and cured meats—a symbol of renewal, fertility, and joy.

In the south, especially in Campania and Calabria, it’s often made with ricotta, provolone, salami, and ham. In Liguria, the Torta Pasqualina is filled with greens like chard or spinach and whole eggs nestled into a delicate pastry crust. No matter the style, Easter Pie is about bringing people together—generous, rustic, and always made with love.

Our Family Easter Pie Recipe

Easter Pie has a special place in our own Easter traditions. Mike’s mom, Vincentia D’Amato, fondly known as “Toots,” made these pies well into her late 90s. In her final years, she enlisted her daughters and other family members to help stir the pounds of cheeses, cured meats, and eggs that she lovingly poured into pie crusts for neighbors, grandchildren, and friends. Whenever we traveled to New York in the spring, we knew Toots’ Easter Pies would be waiting for us after a long flight from Seattle.

Although Easter Pies were originally born from the need to use up the last bits of pantry staples before they spoiled, they are now a staple for Italian-American families, including our own. Toots wrote down all of her recipes for her children and grandchildren so we could continue her Italian food traditions.

We’re so excited to share it with you.

Toots’ Famous Easter Pie Recipe

Our family favorite and a staple on Italian-American tables. As all Nonnas do, this recipe includes estimates and vague instructions like “add milk until it is the right consistency” and “cook until done.” Use your intuition with this one—we promise you can’t go wrong baking meat and cheese in a pie shell!

Ingredients

• 2 frozen pie shells
• 1 pound ricotta cheese
• 9 ounces fresh mozzarella
• 1/4 pound ham
• 1/4 pound provolone
• 1/4 pound salami
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Whole milk
• Fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Chop all meats and cheeses into small pieces
3. Mix all ingredients into a bowl and add milk until the filling is the right consistency
4. Pour mixture into pie shells
5. Add some milk and grated Parmigiano cheese to the top
6. Cover with foil and bake until golden brown, about one hour
7. Finish with fresh parsley on top
8. Season with pepper as needed

Remember to rely on your intuition—just like our Italian Nonnas. Add a little more cheese, another handful of salami, or a splash more milk until it just feels right.

We hope this recipe brings joy and comfort to your Easter table, just as it has to ours for generations.

Buona Pasqua from our family to yours. 🕊️💛