Easter Ricotta Pie

DOUGH:
3 tsp. baking powder
3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. Crisco
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten

Cream Crisco, sugar, and eggs. Sift together baking powder, flour, and salt. To the creamed mixture, add flour mixture alternating with 1/2 cup milk. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. If sticky and hard to handle, add more flour.

PUDDING:
4 eggs
1 1/3 c. sugar
Rind of 1 orange
2/3 c. flour
1 qt. milk (use 1/2 c. of this milk to blend ingredients)

Scald 1 quart milk (less 1/2 cup) with orange rind. In separate bowl, place egg yolks, sugar, flour and 1/2 cup milk and mix well. Pour this into scalded milk and cook until thick. Cool thoroughly, add to ricotta filling.

RICOTTA FILLING:
28 eggs, beaten well
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 lbs. ricotta, fine
1-2 lg. (12 oz.) chocolate bar or milk chocolate with nuts (optional to taste)
1 sm. bottle citron
1 sm. bottle maraschino cherries, chopped

Beat eggs well, add sugar and beat. Add ricotta and beat. Add remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. Divide dough into 2 parts, 1 large and 1 small ball. Using larger ball, roll out and line a 12-inch baking dish. Pour mixture and cover with strips rolled out from small ball of dough. Fill pan 3/4 full. Bake at 325 degrees for 3 hours. Remove when cooled.

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