Italian 8-layer Pie

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

Title: ITALIAN 8-LAYER PIE
Categories: Main dish, Cheese, Vegetables, Meats
Yield: 10 servings

-----------------------------------CRUST-----------------------------------
2 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/2 c Cold butter or margerine,
Cut into pieces
1 Egg
1 Egg white
2 tb Milk

----------------------------------FILLING----------------------------------
1 lg Red sweet pepper, roasted
1 pk 10-ounces frozen chopped,
Spinach thawed
1 lg Fennel bulb, trimmed and
Coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 md Leeks, thinly sliced, 2/3 C.
2 tb Olive oil
1 c Ricotta cheese
1 c Shredded mozzarella (4-oz.)
1/4 c Pesto or Homemade pesto
1/4 c Grated Parmesan cheese
1 Egg yolk
4 oz Salami, coarsely chopped
(3/4 cup)
1 Beaten egg yolk

TO MAKE DOUGH in the food processor, place the steel blade in the processor
bowl. Add flour, cold butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Process with
serveral on/off turns till mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. combine egg,
egg white, and milk; add to processor and process till mixture forms a
ball. (Or, for the mixing bowl method, combine flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt
in a medium mixing bowl; cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse
crumbs. Add egg mixture; mix with a spoon or your hands till mixture forms
a ball.) Cover dough; chill while preparing filling.

FOR FILLING, cut roasted sweet pepper into strips; set aside. Drain
spinach squeezing to remove excess liquid. In a 10-inch skillet cook
fennel and leeks in hot oil for 5 to 7 minutes or till tender. In a mixing
bowl stir together drained spinach, ricotta, mozarella, pesto, Parmesan,
the first egg yolk and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

ON A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE roll 2/3's of the chilled dough into a 12-inch
diameter circle. Place the dough in an 8-inch sprinform pan (the dough
will go about 2-1/2 inches up the sides). Press pleats in dough as
necessary to fit. Spread the bottom crust with half of the fennel mixture.
Top with half of the spinach mixture, half of the salami, and half of the
red pepper strips. Repeat layers.

ROLL REMAINING DOUGH into an 8-inch circle; place atop filling. (You may
want to save a few dough scraps for decorating the top of the pie.) Fold
excess bottom crust over top crust; crimp edge to seal. If desired, cut
reserved dough scraps into shapes and use to decorate the top of the pie.
Or, cut a design, such as a leaf or a flower, out of the top. (If you
don't cut a design out of top crust make a few slits in the top crust to
let steam escape while baking.) Brush with remaining egg yolk. Bake in a
375-degree oven about 50 minutes or till golden. Let stand 15 to 20
minutes. Remove sides of pan to serve. Serves 10 to 12.

TO BAKE AND CHILL AHEAD: Bake pie as directed; cool. Chill pie in pan
about 1 hour. Remove from pan, wrap in foil, and chill for up to 2 days.
Before serving, heat wrapped in foil, in a 350-degree oven for 50 to 55
minutes or till heated through.

TO BAKE AND FREEZE AHEAD: Bake pie as directed; cool. Chill pie in pan
about 1 hour. Remove from pan, wrap in foil, and freeze for up to 1 month.
To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Heat, wrapped in foil in a
350-degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes.

Source: BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS MAGAZINE, October 1991.

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