Easter memories….. Food of course!
So I always remember one particular dish my mother used to make always at Easter, not sure why only then but this was always served. She would make 2 or 3 of these, and they would always last for a few days after Easter Sunday. They would get better a day or 2 later, like most Italian leftovers seem to do.
The recipe comes from a cookbook my mother cooked almost exclusively from, in fact I think she only had one cookbook ever. It was written by Antoinette Pope and was entitled The New Antoinette Pope School Cookbook by Antoinette and Francois Pope. I was told she was a distant relative of my mom’s- but isn’t that typical of all Italians (they are all somehow related to everyone, unless of course you were Sicilian, that was like the cousin no one would admit to being related too. Nothing against being Sicilian today things are different)? Mine is dated 1961, it was originally first published in 1948 also signed by Francois Pope. It has seen better days but this book is such a great memory and it shows. It is a savory pie type dish with sausage and eggs it is called Calzoni– not to be confused with the folded over 1/2 pizza stuffed Calzone we know today.
Below is the recipe. Ricotta- Sausage- Filled Squares (Calzoni)
1 pound fresh Italian Sausage (or 1/2 pound dry commercial Pepperoni sausage)
1 pound fresh Italian ricotta cheese 2 whole eggs beaten with a fork 1 teaspoon of salt (1/2 teaspoon salt if using commercial Pepperoni sausage)
1/4 cup grated Italian cheese
1/8 teaspoon place pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, or 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Cut sausages into 3-inch pieces, and sauté about 15 minutes until well browned, turning several times. Then add water, cover skillet, and steam usage about 10 minutes. Let cool. Cut into 1/4- inch slices, and each slice into 2 or 3 pieces. (If Pepperoni sausage is used, simply slice it as for fresh sausage before combining with other ingredients.) Add beaten eggs to ricotta; then add all other ingredients, and mix well. Prepare 1 recipe basic dough for Pastry Filled Squares (p. 37). Divide it into 2 pieces, using 2/3 of dough for bottom crust and 1/3 of dough for top crust. Roll bottom crust into a 10 1/2- inch square, and place it in a lightly greased 9 X 9 X 2- inch square pan. Pour in filling, spreading it evenly. Now roll upper crust into a 9 1/2- inch square. Puncture upper crust with a fork and place it over filling. Go around edges with a fork to seal well. Brush top with beaten egg yolk combined with 2 tablespoons milk, and bake in a 400 degree oven about 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and let stand on cake rack until lukewarm before cutting into squares. This pastry is best served lukewarm or cold, but not hot. It may be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator until serving time, then reheated at 350 degrees about 10 minutes until lukewarm. Serves 8
I don’t remember my mom making this as a square, I remember her using pie plates and serving it sliced in small wedges like a pie. She also used Italian sausage and not Pepperoni.
Dough for Pastry Squares
1 1/2 cups sifted all- purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt 1 small egg beaten a few seconds with egg beater, to which add 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup butter, margarine, or other shortening
Sift dry ingredients together several times. Add shortening, and with pie blender cut through until it looks like fine meal. Add beaten egg and milk all at once, and mix with large spoon until well blended. Turn out onto floured cloth and knead gently about 1 minute until smooth. Cut dough into 2 pieces. Chill dough while preparing filling.
Give it a try, it is different but it is great as an appetizer, savory and if you like it a bit spicy add crushed red pepper or use dare I say it Sicilian hot sausage! 
NowThatsItalian 