Easter Rice Pie

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese, drained
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 6 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained

Directions

Grease two 9-inch pie plates.

Pulse flour, baking powder, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt in a food processor several times until combined.

Place butter into the flour mixture and pulse just until butter resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in 1 egg and vanilla extract; process until dough holds together, about 30 seconds.

Place dough on a well-floured work surface, divide in half, and roll each piece into a 9-inch round crust.

Fit crusts into the prepared pie plates and freeze for 1 hour.

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan; stir in rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until rice has absorbed the water, about 20 minutes.

Stir milk into the rice and bring to a simmer; cook until thickened, stirring often, about 10 more minutes. Set rice mixture aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Beat ricotta cheese, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 6 eggs together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in cooked rice mixture and crushed pineapple until thoroughly combined.

Divide the filling between the 2 cold pie crusts.

Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is set and the tops are golden brown, about 90 minutes. Cool on racks.