Ricotta Appetizer Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh breadcrumbs or 4 cups fresh whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, best fresh grated
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• pepper
• 2 cups broccoli, small flowerettes
• 1 cup cauliflower, small flowerettes
• 1/4 lb lox, cut into bite size strips (optional)
• 3/4 cup english cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 4 black olives, quartered
• 7 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons black caviar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon capers (optional)

Recipe

• 1 toast fresh crumbs in a 350f degrees oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden.
• 2 transfer to a bowl, stir in 2/3 cup parmesan and the butter.
• 3 press firmly into an 11"x 8" pan with a removeable bottom.
• 4 bake in 350f degrees oven for about 10 minutes.
• 5 ------------filling-------------€æ .
• 6 in a bowl beat together: riccota, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, egg, salt basil& pepper.
• 7 beat until smooth.
• 8 spoon filling into the crust, smoothing the top.
• 9 bake in 350f oven for 20-25 minutes or until set.
• 10 cool on a rack.
• 11 --------topping----------------.
• 12 blanch broccoli and cauliflower for 1 minute.
• 13 drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, pat dry.
• 14 in diagonal rows;arrange a row of broccoli, then a row of tomatoes, cucumbers, lox with capers (if using), row of cauliflower with the quarter black olives tucked in between each flowerette, then a row of sliced mushrooms etc.
• 15 make these rows compliment each other color wise.
• 16 cut the pie into squares and serve with a fork.
• 17 you can cover this appetizer and refrigerate until you want to serve it.