In spring, but especially during the Easter period, in Lucca it is easy to find the "Pie Coì Becchi '. Prepared by the skilled hands of the grandmothers is a savory dessert of shortcrust pastry stuffed with vegetables and spices: a perfect mix between sweet and salty. Its name, from the sound of Tuscan, derives from the ' beaks ' created along its edges.
There are so many variantsof this dish, the secrets are handed down from mother to daughter in old recipes.
The recipe that we propose is simple and is taken from the grandmother of a friend, Lucchese Doc.
Unique flavors and scents of once, all to try.
Ingredients P er The stuffing
- 900 g raw beet
- 50 grams of stale bread
- 1 glass of milk (as much as enough to cook the rice and soak the bread)
- 2 whole eggs
- 50 g Parmesan cheese
- 50 g pecorino cheese
- 50 g of pine nuts
- 50 g raisins
- 50 g butter
- 50 cl. of extra virgin olive oil
- 50 g sugar
- ½ Spoonful of black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
- A pinch of cinnamon
- A teaspoon of thyme or thyme
Ingredients for shortcrust pastry
- 300 g flour 00
- 100 cl extra virgin olive oil
- 250 g icing sugar
- 1 egg + 1 yolk
- A grated lemon peel
- A pinch of salt
preparation
Shortcrust Pastry: mix together the flour, the sugar, the salt, the grated lemon peel, then add the oil and the eggs. Knead together until you get a compact panel, which will then wrap in a transparent film and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Roll out the shortcrust pastry in a 28 cm tray, leaving 2 cm over the edge of the baking sheet. Inside, after having pierced the dough with the tines of a fork, put the dough, levelling it on the surface. To form the beaks by cutting the edges transversely with the tip of a knife and roll them inward. Brush with the egg yolk to make them shiny and golden. Bake at 180 degrees for 40 minutes.
Dough: Heart the bietoline in salted water. Then squeeze the whole thing and chop finely. Meanwhile, boil the rice in half milk and half water. Soak the bread in the milk and squeeze it. Grate the pecorino cheese and parmesan cheese. In a bowl mix together with all the remaining ingredients.
And voila, have a good appetite!
Photocredits: www.fragor.org