Easter Traditions From Old Fort Lee

Every holiday has its traditions, but among Italian families in Fort Lee, the Easter menu is comprised of some age-old, Nonna-inspired, sacred traditions. While at Fairway Wednesday afternoon, About Town met up with the mothers of some old friends who told us that they were there to get all the ingredients for Aunt Anna’s Easter Pie.

For more than a generation, Aunt Anna Viola Barbarulo made Easter pies every Easter season and handed them out to just about every family along Main Street. For months before and after, people would talk about her Easter pie. From Good Friday to late Saturday evening her tiny kitchen overflowed with pounds of flour, dozens and dozens of eggs, and pounds of meats and cheeses. The aroma floated through the open window and spilled out onto Main Street where everyone who passed by would hope to get a piece.

There isn’t an Easter that goes by when someone doesn’t ask us for Aunt Anna’s recipe. Well, here it is as we copied it down over 25 years ago while watching her as she prepared the pie. As with all family recipes, the measurements are by taste and sight. This pie is not for the novice cook, nor the faint of heart, or anyone concerned with cholesterol or fat content. It is simply a taste of old Fort Lee.  

Buona Pasqua!

Dough Ingredients:                          

6 cups flour                                   

6 tsp baking powder                          

3 eggs                                            

¼ lb Crisco                                   

Warm water to moisten                 

Dash salt & Pepper                          

First Filling                                             Second Filling

½ lb cooked rice                                          11/2 lb Genoa Salami (chunks)

5 eggs                                                             1 lb boiled ham (chunks)

½ lb ricotta cheese                                     1 lb provolone (chunks)

Handful parsley                                          1 lb Italian sausage cooked/chunks

Handful grated cheese                              6 hard boiled eggs

Salt/pepper                                                 1 lb Mozzarella (chunks)

(Mix together)                                            1lb prosciutto (chunks)

Directions:

Divide dough into two; roll out; line a large roasting pan with first dough. Dough should overlap sides of pan.

Mix the first filling well and place half of it top of dough in pan. Then layer each one of the 2^nd filling on top of 1^st filling. Try to get two layers of everything. Press filling down as you layer. Finish off with other half of 1^st filling. Place dough on top, press and seal. Pierce crust with fork. Mix one egg and dash of milk together and brush on top of crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours or until top is golden brown. Let cool overnight. Pop out of pan and slice. Can be served hot or cold.