Special Italian Easter Pizza

1. Cook and stir Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned and crumbly, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain excess grease; set sausage aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Oil the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with olive oil.

3. Cut 1/3 of the dough off the loaf and set aside under a cloth. Form the remaining dough into a ball; roll ball on a floured work surface into a 14-inch circle. Press circle into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared springform pan; excess dough will hand over the edges.

4. Whisk 8 eggs in a 2-cup liquid measure.

5. Working with only 1/2 of the ingredients at a time, make layers in the pan in the following order: sausage, mozzarella, ham, provolone, salami, pepperoni, ricotta, and Parmesan. Pour in 1/2 of the beaten eggs. Repeat layers once more, starting with sausage and ending with Parmesan. Pour remaining beaten eggs over top.

6. Roll out remaining bread dough into a 12-inch circle. Place over the pie to form a top crust. Roll and pinch any overhanging bottom crust over top crust to seal in the filling.

7. Beat remaining egg and water in a small bowl. Brush egg wash over top crust.

8. Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set, 50 to 60 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the middle of the crust should come out without any raw egg.

9. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for at least 25 minutes, then release the spring and remove pie from the pan. Transfer to a serving platter and cut into wedges for serving.

Tips

In many Italian homes, this recipe calls for the addition of hard-boiled eggs. They can be added to this recipe — simply slice 4 hard-boiled eggs and layer with the meats and cheeses. Bake as directed.