Pizza Chiena is a rustic and rich preparation typical of Neapolitan cuisine, traditionally made during holidays such as Easter.
▶It is a kind of savory pie filled with cured meats, cheese, and eggs.
▶The recipe varies slightly from family to family, but the main ingredients remain the same. I chose to follow my friend Rosy’s, typical of her neighborhood (Pianura), her family, and her mother’s.
I used rice flour and Dexter, my gluten-free sourdough starter, for a gluten-free dough and a total rising time of 7 hours.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 7 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter, All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups rice flour
- 0.85 cups water
- 0.65 cups gluten-free sourdough starter (or 0.5 oz fresh yeast or 0.25 oz dry yeast)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 7 oz Neapolitan salami
- 7 oz rolled pancetta
- 7 oz sharp provola cheese
- 4 eggs
- 1.5 oz Parmesan cheese (+ 2 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons Pecorino cheese
- 3.5 oz lard (or shortening)
- to taste pepper
- to taste olive oil
Steps
Mix the rice flour with water, add the yeast (if using fresh yeast, dissolve it in a little water), the sugar, and finally the salt. Knead and let the dough rise for 4 to 6 hours, covered.
Add lard, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, and divide the dough into two. Let it rise covered for 1 hour.
Roll out the first layer on a round pan and compose the layers (there will be 4): salami, pancetta, cheese four times. Beat the eggs with Pecorino and pepper and add to the filling.
Cover with the other part of the dough, poke holes, and drizzle with a mix of oil and Parmesan (1.5 oz).
Bake in a static oven at 392°F for 40/50 minutes.
Happy Easter with Gluten-Free Pizza Chiena!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What is the difference between lard and shortening?
Lard and shortening are both animal fats, but there are some differences.
Lard is the fat derived from pig meat, particularly from the part near the internal organs, such as visceral fat.
A softer fat mainly used for making desserts, traditional dishes, and in certain regional Italian cuisines.
Traditionally, lard is used for preparing rustic dishes, like lard pie or for frying.
Shortening is also animal fat derived from pork, but it is usually obtained from rendered and processed pork fat to achieve a solid consistency at room temperature.
Shortening is denser and has a higher melting point than lard.
It is used in cooking to prepare both savory and sweet dishes (like cakes, focaccia, and general pastries).
