Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pie

Italian Easter ricotta rice pie

This Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pie is my Mother's recipe. She made these every year for Easter and as you can see these are a little different than your traditional pie.

They are really little hand pies made with sweet dough, ricotta cheese, and rice filling. Anybody who knows me knows that I have a passion for preserving these old family recipes.

I found my mother's recipe for these last year and gave them a try but I failed. You see, my mother's handwritten recipes are short the instructions all she had written down was the ingredients. So I had to figure out the rest on my own. And, this year I did.

Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pie: Ingredients:

For the Dough:

5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs beaten
1 cup Crisco
1 cup warm water

The Filling:

2 lbs. ricotta cheese
1/4 lb. cooked rice (You'll need 1/2 cup uncooked to get 1/4 lb. cooked)
3/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 eggs beaten (You'll need these later to seal the pies and brush before baking)

Jasmine Rice


I first made the rice according to the package instructions. I used Jasmine Rice because it is a long grain and sticky rice. This helps hold the filling together.

Ricotta rice pie dough

While the rice was cooling I mixed the dough. I used my KitchenAid Stand Mixer with the dough hook.

 I added all the ingredients for the dough except the flour into my mixing bowl. I added the flour last turned it on low speed and mixed until the dough was formed.

If you don't have a stand mixer use a large bowl and mix by hand. Next, I set the dough aside and started to make the filling.

Again, using my stand mixer I added the ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, and rice into the mixing bowl. Using the flat bar I mixed this on low speed until everything was mixed together. I put the filling in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Easter ricotta rice pies

I rolled the dough into about a 14-inch long x 2/12-inch high log

Easter ricotta rice pie recipe


I cut the dough into 3/4-inch slices and rolled them out on a floured surface into a circle about 1/8-inch thick.

I filled the center with 1/4 cup of the filling. Then, I brushed the edges of the dough with the beaten egg. I carefully folded the edges together and then pinched along the seams with a fork.

Easter ricotta rice pie

I placed my little pies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper four pies on a cookie sheet. Then, brush on the beaten egg over the whole surface of each pie.

 I baked them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then place them on a rack to cool. These Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pies brought back many fond memories for me. With the sweet dough and the sweet ricotta cheese and rice filling, they make a perfect Easter treat.

Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pie: Traditional Pie


Italian ricotta rice pie

I also made your traditional Italian Ricotta Rice Pie by doubling the filling recipe. I used a 9-inch pie crust and a 9-inch pie plate.

I baked this pie at 350 degrees for 60 minutes let it cool and then placed it in the refrigerator. So, you can make this either way or as I did both of them.

18 comments:

  1. What an interesting recipe. Is there a particular Easter significance to this Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pie? And I'd be interested in hearing what is best served with it. Thanks for sharing your mom's recipe, Sam.

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    1. I'm not sure of any Easter significance just that this has been a family tradition in our family for years. My grandmother's on both sides of the family made these and it has been carried on Every Easter. It's really a dessert but makes a great snack. Thanks Pat :)

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  2. Sam, this sounds like a delicious cross between a hand pie, ricotta cheesecake and rice pudding. Yum! Looking forward to trying it someday when we have an oven again. :)

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    1. Oh this really is delicious Margaret. It's a great snack and dessert and a family tradition every Easter. Thanks for stopping by :)

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  3. This is a new one! May try this weekend ! Love the combo of ingredients!

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    1. Hi Tracey, Thanks, and I do hope you like this if you try it. this is for sure a favorite of mine.

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  4. I love a good family recipe and this looks delicious. Kind of like rice pudding, pie and cheesecake all in one!

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    1. Yes, it really is Carlee. We only make this at Easter time. I really don't know why because it is such a great dessert. Thanks.

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  5. Sam, what a lovely way to eat sweet rice. My mother used to cook sweet rice every so often because my Dad and I loved it. But this goes way above and beyond, and I'm sure it tops our plain variety. Besides that, I love little hand pies because they're so convenient! YUM! Sharing so I can find the recipe. My daughters will come in April (my birth month) and they might want to make this! Thanks Sam!

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  6. Sam, I was looking for this recipe. The best is, you can make pies. I will try this recipe Thank you so much!

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  7. What a very interesting recipe! I have never heard of a Ricotta Rice Pie before, but I do like all of the ingredients, so I'm sure it is delicious! Thank you for sharing your grandmother's recipe. I do enjoy trying new recipes

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    1. Thanks so much, Cynthia, I hope you enjoy them if you give them a try. We will for sure be making these this week.

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  8. My family always made these but I didn’t have a recipe before they were all gone. The 3 eggs at the bottom you say 2 eggs beaten for sealing but the 3 eggs before that do those all go in or is it 1 egg in the dough and 2 more eggs beaten.

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    1. It would be 3 eggs for the filling and then 2 more beaten for sealing. so sorry for not being clear. Thanks

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  9. Also when do you add the water it doesn’t say in the recipe

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    1. So sorry about that. You use the water for making the dough. Add all ingredients for the dough except the flour. Then, add the flour one cup at a time. Thanks for stoping by.

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  10. I am so happy to see this recipe! I have been searching everywhere for a recipe with rice without any luck. This looks exactly like my grandmother’s down to the way it’s folded over, except hers also had salami. Unfortunately, both she and my mom have passed away, and never got a recipe from them. Will be using this one! Thank you!!

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    1. I'm so glad and hope it works out for you. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!!

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